Restoring the Glory: A Modern-Day New York Knicks Dynasty (DDS:PB)

[Izulde]

Note: This is using the default rosters in DDS:PB. Any trades, signings, etc. after that have not occurred.

It's strange. My favorite team is the Boston Celtics, yet I've never done a dynasty with them. Perhaps someday I will.

In any case, that's not with this story is about. This story is about me, Jestor, trying to sort out the quagmire that is the current-day New York Knicks and restore them to a brilliant luster.

It's often been cited as the single most difficult challenge in the NBA, one that'll take at least 2-3 years, if not more, to fix.

In other words, something even more challenging than what a certain Mr. Arcadia went through as GM of the expansion Timberwolves.

I'm not sure what format the dynasty is going to take and whether or not I'll introduce any story elements into it. My guess is, the story and the eventual role-played aspects will create themselves.

But let's get rolling, shall we?

Late June 2007

My birthday was on the 16th and I received the most wonderful present possible: I was named GM of the New York Knicks. How did I get it? Well, the firm the Knicks hired to rehabilitate their image decided it'd be a fun idea to hold a raffle where everyone and anyone could put their name in and whoever had their ticket drawn would be named the new Knicks GM for a single season.

A single season because the team knew damned well they'd wind up with some joker winning it and they were right. A real Jestor like me was the lucky man. (Yes I'm an English major and yes I know it's jester, but allow the pun, okay?)

See, the idea is that they're going to generate a lot of publicity and comedy factor by having me as the GM for one year before they ship me off back to whatever I was doing before.

But I don't intend to have it play out like that.

I plan on staying around.

So the first order of business is a wholesale firing of the coaching staff. Bye-bye Isiah. Bye-bye Herb Williams, Dan Hanners and Mark Aguirre. This is gonna be Jestor's hand-picked coaching team!

$6.27 million goes in the red category, $5 million of it to that team-destroyer Isiah. Oh well. The renewed interest in this potentially blue-chip franchise will be well worth it.

In fact, the papers and the blogosphere the next day lauds my ballsy move, with long-suffering Knicks fans saying it was long overdue.

The coaching pool has Old Man Wanderer Larry Brown, former Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy, who by the way was the last successful coach for this franchise, Rick Carlisle and Rudy Tomjanovich as the biggest names.

I'm really tempted to bring back Van Gundy, but on the other hand, why ruin the magic of the previous Van Gundy Knicks era? Brown's too old, Carlisle can't develop and I don't want Rudy T because he's won rings. I want a guy who's hungry.

So after some more looking around, I settle on Doug Collins. Although I'd like somebody new, he's a proven NBA head coach, with respectable strategy and developmental talents. I'm not a fan of his strong veteran preference or his lack of defensive intensity, but it's not like the Knicks played defense before this anyhow.

In any case, he'll be a good stopgap measure, so I offer him $1.5 million a year for 2 years to come babysit this squad as the head coach.

He toys with us, not accepting right away, as is the case with the rest of our targets. Shortly thereafter, however, we grab our 1st, 2nd and 3rd assistant coaches, so Mr. Collins knows what kind of staff he has to work with.

But he refuses our generous offer and says there's no way in hell he'll coach so terrible a team as the Knicks. So we're forced to go with our secondary option, 60 year-old Mike Montgomery.

Yes, that Montgomery, the one with the twin 34-48 records in Golden State and who was brilliant as the head coach at Stanford. Let's hope moving from coast to coast will spark a fire under him.

The 2007-08 New York Knicks Coaching Staff
Head Coach
Mike Montgomery
1st Assistant
Kevin O'Neill
2nd Assistant
Mike Sanders
3rd Assistant
Tom Sterner

Yeah, Montgomery and O'Neill are the only guys I have any familiarity with who the hell they are, but Sanders and Sterner have reputations for player development, which is a focus of this entire staff.

The draft is up next and we've got the #2 overall pick, which everyone and their mother says we're going to use on Kevin Durant.

...We'll see.

[SFL Cat]

If you'd just given Isaiah five or six more years, he would have righted the ship...I know it!!! ;)

[Izulde]

If you'd just given Isaiah five or six more years, he would have righted the ship...I know it!!! ;)

Well it's not like he could've got it any more dead in the water. Wow, there's some truly garish contracts here. :D

[Izulde]

Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. The two big, big names at the top of the draft. After them, there's, well, everybody else.

I'm seriously jonesing for the man among boys, Oden, but unless the Toronto Raptors brass goes on a cocaine binge the night before the draft, that's not going to happen.

Besides, our head coach is absolutely convinced that Eddy Curry of the god awful contract and hyper-inflated statistics can be the answer in the middle. Yeah, okay. Whatever you say, Mike.

Actually, I would seriously love to trade this entire roster. Everyone is ridiculously overpaid and that includes Steve "Never Was The Franchise" Francis and Stephon "Starbury" Marbury, who have a weird liking for just because I love the Starbury nickname.

In fact, Curry might just be the best value, at least in the eyes of the current coaching staff. ...I begin to see why the scribes and fans were all aghast at Mike Montgomery's hiring.

But on the other hand, even if Mike duplicates 34 wins like he did in Golden State, that's still 11 more wins than the team managed last year. Pathetic, no?

So anyway, on to the rookie workuts. 15 invites, eh? I'm definitely inviting the player I have a secret man-crush on in this draft and some second-round type guys. Hell, we'll work out Durant and Oden too, why not?

I'm laughing in the war room on draft night, because one analyst says Oden's a once in a lifetime player and another analyst says the Raptors are going with Durant because they need a small forward. Nice way to cover your asses there, guys.

The coke dealer I sent to Canada must've gotten held up in customs or got busted or something, because Toronto takes Oden. Boo! You whores!

Things are getting hot in the war room. Mike and his boys are begging me to please, please, -please- take Durant. And honestly, it'd be a safe pick. The kid's only 18 and he can flat out score. The scouts think he's a great character kid and one who will bust his butt, too.

But he's only a mediocre defender and honestly we have enough guys that can put points on the board and are fair or worse defenders.

I ignore the anguished screams of the scouts and coaches as I reach for the phone and prepare to play Let's Make A Deal. Hell, I'm only here for a year if this doesn't pan out and if it does work out, I look like a genius, so screw the rest of these guys.

I ring up the Bobcats and offer them a very advantageous deal for them to take Jamal Crawford's ugly contract off of our hands if they want to move up and take Durant. They won't bite.

The Hawks are momentarily interested, but the player I propose to make the salary cap work would hurt them too much at a position, so we do some more talking only for them to pull the same crap about not taking Crawford's salary! Bastards! I hate you all!

Okay, so I'm stuck with Crawford. I get that. But I still want to get out of this Durant deathtrap.

I work the phones some more and eventually strike a deal with the Portland Trailblazers!

Portland Trailblazers receive:
PG Steve Francis
#2 pick in this draft

New York Knicks receive:
C Raef LaFrentz
SF Darius Miles
#4 pick in this draft
Portland Trailblazers 2009 1st round pick

What this means for Portland:
A huge upgrade to their backcourt, as The Franchise can step in at the point. He also gives them a 3rd scoring option alongside Zach Randolph and Brandon Roy. Their offense gets even better with the selection of Kevin Durant. In one fell swoop, the Trailblazers have made themselves a lot better in an always tough Western Conference, both immediately and for the future.

What this means for New York:
Strange deal salarycap wise. They go from $16 and $17 million the next two years to $20 and 22 million, with an extra $9 million for a third year of Miles. LaFrentz figures to back up Eddy Curry and Channing Frye at C and PF respectively and is a huge improvement over cap monster Jerome James. Miles is the probable starting SF, as Francis's departure means Jamal Crawford will take over the SG spot. The real key to this surprising trade is the 2009 1st round pick, but judging how good the Traiblazers are likely to be as a result of this swap, it may be little more than a late 1st rounder.

Winner: Portland

All right, so it looks like I got fleeced there. Big deal. It's worth it just to have Francis off the books, even we do end up taking more total money.

While Portland fans are celebrating the selection of Durant, Charlotte fans are weeping as Bickerstaff takes a no-name in SG Ronald Stuckey out of Eastern Washington, who had a glitzy 24.6 PPG average and that's about it. Evidently the Bobcats were feeling depressed about screwing themselves out of Durant and went with a poor man's version of him so poor, it's like saying Oasis is a poor man's version of the Beatles. (Oasis fans, please direct your flaming hatred elsewhere.)

So now it's our turn again and the analysts are absolutely clueless as to what Mr. Raffle Winner GM (that's me) is going to do. One of the guys suggests PF Brandan Wright.

Interesting idea, but no. And it's not going to be the player I have a man crush on, either.

It's going to be........

PG Acie Law from Texas A&M

Before the boo birds rush in and shock echoes throughout the arena, let me get in a quick word here. We need a pass first PG, one who's got the intangibles and work ethic to really be a playmaker in this league. I love Starbury's nickname, but the man's a SG masquerading as a PG.

Surprisingly, one of the talking heads actually likes the pick okay. He argues that Law has the skillset needed to be a legitimately talented starting PG in this league and that while it was early, he definitely fills a need in New York. Thank you, Mr. Analyst!

2007 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors
2. SF Kevin Durant - Portland Trailblazers
3. SG Rodney Stuckey - Charlotte Bobcats
4. PG Acie Law - New York Knicks
5. PF Julian Wright - Atlanta Hawks
6. SF Jeff Green - Minnesota Timberwolves
7. C Spencer Hawes - Boston Celtics
8. PF Brandan Wright - Houston Rockets
9. PF Al Horford - Golden State Warriors

It's with the #10 pick that the player I most want out of this class gets talked up as a possible selection. I go into panic mode and offer the Supersonics the 2009 1st rounder I just acquired from Portland for the #10 selection and Seattle's 2nd rounders in 2008 and 2009.

They cheerfully accept and it's with a great sigh of relief that I take....

PF Joakim Noah - Florida

Yes, yes, hate on him all you want and say he's not going to be that good a pro, but I loved watching him in the NCAA tournament. He plays with passion, and with fire and I think he's going to be a damned good NBA player. Plus, our coaching staff thinks he has lockdown defender type potential and that's one thing this bunch of Knicks shooters sorely needs.

10. PF Joakim Noah - New York Knicks

There's still one more player to get, incidentally. My man, my fellow hometown Racinian, SF Caron Butler and I don't care what it takes to pry him from the Wizards.

Washington Wizards receive:
SF Quentin Richardson
SG Mardy Collins
SF Renaldo Balkman

New York Knicks receive:
SF Caron Butler

What this means for the Wizards:
Washington just lost one of its top three offensive threats and one giant, giant contract. Richardson's deal is much more cap-friendly than Butler's and Collins could turn into a defensive specialist. The real key to this trade for Washington, however, is Balkman. If he develops to his potential, he could become a significant source of offense a few years down the road.

What this means for the Knicks:
The Raffle GM Jestor, like Butler, calls Racine, WI his hometown and both attended Racine Park High School and even had an overlapping year or two where both were present (Jestor is a 1997 graduate). Butler's contract may be for four years and balloon pretty quickly, but he's a scorer and replaces the recently dealt Steve Francis in the scoring triangle along with Stephon Marbury and Eddy Curry. He's also a high-quality defender, with the potential to get even better. Ballhandling is the weak point in his game, but Butler's another hard worker who fits in with the new-look Knicks Jestor is quickly building and the unquestioned new starter at SF.

Winner: New York

Okay, -now- I'm content. Got my shiny new PG of the future, the player I wanted most in this draft and Caron. *does a celebratory jig in the War Room*

11. SF Corey Brewer - Orlando Magic
12. SG Brad Newley - New Orleans Hornets
13. PF Yi Jianlian - Philadephia 76ers
14. PG Mike Conley - Utah Jazz
15. PG Javaris Crittenton - Milwaukee Bucks
16. PF Josh McRoberts - Chicago Bulls
17. SG Morris Almond - Indiana Pacers
18. PF Jason Smith - Washington Wizards
19. SF Al Thornton - Sacramento Kings
20. PG Gabe Pruitt - Denver Nuggets
21. PF Tiago Splitter - Los Angeles Lakers
22. SG Nick Young - Los Angeles Clippers
23. C Sean Williams - Memphis Grizzlies
24. PG Ramon Sessions - New Jersey Nets
25. SF Thaddeus Young - Cleveland Cavaliers
26. SG Sammy Mejia - Miami Heat
27. SF Glen Davis - Phoenix Suns
28. SG D.J. Strawberry - Dallas Mavericks
29. C Marc Gasol - San Antonio Spurs
30. PG Jared Jordan - Detroit Pistons

Damn. I was hoping Gasol would fall to us in the second round, but the Spurs snatched him, much to the furious disbelief of the talking heads.

Haha! I snicker when our second round pick comes along, because the analysts think I'm going to trade it away! As one of them commented, "The Raffle GM has already struck two deals in New York, why not a third as well?"

It's not worth moving around the second round, so I take SG Alando Tucker out of Wisconsin to continue the personal home state motif started with the Butler trade. This time no one agrees with the pick, but I don't care. Tucker works his ass off and I think he's better than people give him credit for.

If he doesn't pan out, so what? He's a bleeping 2nd round pick.

First look at the players immediately following the draft reveals the following tenative depth chart:

PG Stephon Marbury
SG Jamal Crawford
SF Caron Butler
PF David Lee
C Eddy Curry

6th Darius Miles (SG/SF/PF)
7th Channing Frye (SF/PF/C)
8th Joakim Noah (SF/PF/C)
9th Acie Law (PG/SG)
10th Nate Robinson (PG)
11th Jared Jeffries (SF/PF)
12th Raef LaFrentz (PF/C)

Inactives
Alando Tucker
Malik Rose
Jerome James
Randolph Morris

We're almost $40 million over the cap and we have just one contract we can renounce, that of 33 year old C Kelvin Cato for $1.2 mill and change. Needless to say, we'll be doing that.

Frye is looking like great trade bait right about now. There's no way I can deal Lee, as he's our best defender by far. I'm ashamed to admit that Law is looking like a real bust right now and Tucker appears to have absolutely no ceiling. On the other hand, first impressions of Noah are that he'll grow into an extremely solid PF in time.

So yeah, thus far my first offseason is looking... iffy to say the least. We've got a glut of players (16), most of whom aren't moveable and I've made the Portland Trailblazers a hell of a lot better. Unless we start showing some major improvement on the court, I may have just blown my chances of getting hired on for a second season. They're already ready to crucify me over not drafting Durant.

Oh well, at least the Wizards aren't in too great a shape either.

[Izulde]

Gorgeous weather out today.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood as I renounce our rights to Kelvin Cato and do some more bush-beating to hunt up another deal.

I'm principally looking for another PG, because I want to hedge our bets in case Acie Law does turn out a bust and because I want to get Nate Robinson off this team.

The Charlotte Bobcats oblige.

Charlotte Bobcats receive:
PG Nate Robinson
C Channing Frye
C Randolph Morris

New York Knicks receive:
PG Raymond Felton
Charlotte Bobcats 2010 2nd round pick

What this means for the Bobcats:
Frye is the key to this deal, as he gives Charlotte a promising young starting C to pair with Emeka Okafor in the frontcourt. Robinson will get significant minutes at the backup PG spot and plenty of opportunity to develop his raw potential that he wasn't going to get in New York. Morris is a throwaway.

What this means for the Knicks:
Felton becomes the new 6th man and represents a major upgrade in that area for the Knicks. He's much more polished than Acie Law, New York's boneheaded #4 selection and provides insurance in the high likelihood Law turns out a bust. The heir apparent to Stephon Marbury at the point, who could turn into a real gamer. There's still a rookie option available on him and the Knicks front office would be wise to take advantage. The deal also gives New York 14 players, so they've got space to add a body in free agency and some major playing time just got opened up for rookie Knicks front office favorite Joakim Noah.

Winner: Draw

Summer League Play
PG Acie Law
PG Raymond Felton
SG Alando Tucker
PF David Lee
PF Joakim Noah
------------------------
SG Bracey Wright
C Jared Reiner
SG Will Blalock
C Brian Cusworth
SF Ersan Illyasova
PG Marques Clayton
SF Andre Owens

Memphis 94 New York 88
Tough loss, but Joakim Noah won Player of the Game with 19 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, a block and 2 steals. Unfortunately he also had 4 turnovers. Raymond Felton look okay at the point, with 13 points, 3 assists and 3 turnovers. Quietly good game by Alando Tucker with 8 points, 4 assists and 2 steals.

New York 117 Detroit 75
Joakim Noah wins his second straight Player of the Game award with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, a block and steal. Just 2 turnovers this game. Jared Reiner had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds. Raymond Felton continutes to outplay Acie Law, this time with 14 points and 4 assists against 2 turnovers. Law did have 3 steals, though. Alando Tucker exploded for 19 points and 6 assists and I'm thinking we need to sign him, but I want to see how he plays out the rest of the league first. Bracey Wright followed up a 10 point performance from the bench the first game with 14 tonight and I'm starting to think maybe he deserves a closer look.

L.A. Lakers 83 New York 93
Holy cow! Raymond Felton erupted this game for 28 points, 10 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals! Joakim Noah added 16 points, David Lee just shy of double-double with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Acie Law had 5 assists with no turnovers and he's looking like a guy who can make passes, but not score.

Portland 96 New York 100
Kevin Durant drops 26 points on us to go with his 8 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 steals, but we gut out the win on 25 points from David Lee, 12 and 8 assists from Raymond Felton and 18 bench points from Andre Owen.

Miami 92 New York 79
Our win streak comes to an end despite Raymond Felton winning PotG with 22 points, 3 assists and a rebound. It looks like grabbing Felton may have been the best deal I've made all offseason.

And that's all she wrote as far as the summer league goes.

We finish 3-2, which is a winning record at least. I go ahead and sign Alando Tucker to a 2 year deal. It's chump change, especially if he can turn into something.

Free Agency

It's a dull market, with the top players being guys like Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis and an over himself Grant Hill and an equally ancient Chris Webber. Still, I find a rebounder I really like in C Jamaal Magloiree and I offer him our low exemption. There's nobody here worth a mid-level exemption in my book.

I lose out on Magloire after the Pistons get high on something and offer him a 4 year, $24.7 million deal. Yeah, no way I'm paying a guy over $6 mill a year to grab rebounds. Sheesh!

There's really not much left, but I put an offer out to C Chris Mihm anyway, the low exception of course.

Jerry Stackhouse goes to the 76ers for 2 years and $13 mill on the same day that Chris Webber signs with the Magic for a year and $7.7 mill. Nice move by Orlando for the one year rental.

Grant Hill treks up to Milwaukee for $6.7 mill and a year. Hell, I'd love to have seen him play in a Bucks uniform in real life. I'd have even gone to the Bradley Center to watch him play. The Spurs continue to collect project big men by signing Dorko, I mean Darko, to a cost-efficient 2 year, $1.6 mill. deal. No, that's not a typo. San Antonio gets him for $800k a year. A steal if he pans out.

Chris Mihm tells us to get hosed and signs the low exemption with Phoenix. Whatever. I didn't really want him anyway.

I pick up the rookie option on Raymond Felton and need to think about whether or not to pick up the option on David Lee. My initial inclination is no, because sure he can rebound and play D, but he can only play PF and he's roadblocking Joakim Noah from taking over the starting spot.

[Izulde]

So I take another look and decide, nope I'm not going to pick up David Lee's rookie option.

Training camp ensues, during which Raymond Felton wrests away the starting SG spot from Jamal Crawford, Acie Law looks like he might have more potential than we first though, Joakim Noah less.

I send Alando Tucker down to the D-League, because he's honestly not going to get much in the way of PT as the 12th man in New York. So he'll go play for the Tulsa Tejanos until further notice instead.

Renaldo Balkman and Mardy Collins are D-Leaguers as well, I notice, as is Randolph Morris. Wow, we had some real scrubs on this team, eh? The Spurs sent down Marc Gasol to the D-League, too.

...Interesting. Alando Tucker is listed as the starting PG for the Tejanos. Mardy Collins and Renaldo Blackman starting at PG and SF respectively for the Dakota Great Apes. I see another mancrush of mine, Gerry McNamara, is the starting PG for Fort Worth. I really should sign him and put him on the Tejanos for life.

Since there doesn't appear to be a 2008 draft file yet, I'm just going to go ahead and kick off the fictional fest. It grates on me to do that, because I'm a historical guy with this series, but so be it.

It appears that the lottery scheme worked, because we've come very close to selling out our season tickets. Hooray for gimmicky marketing!

I'm even more shocked when I take a look at the season preview mags and just about everybody has us picked to win the #5 seed in the playoffs and finish 2nd in the Atlantic behind the Boston Celtics.

Damn it, my owner already has Very Low patience and a Very High desire to win! Don't make it worse, you asshats!

My reign as Knicks GM opens with a 98-84 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, who, don't forget, still have Kevin Garnett in this universe. Eddy Curry destroys the T-Wolves for 24 points and 20 rebounds. :eek: Caron Butler puts 24 on the scoreboard as well. Joakim Noah had a quietly efficient Knicks debut with 8 points and 7 rebounds in 16 minutes.

All five starters score in double digits and David Lee doubles his fun with 16 points and 11 rebounds, but Paul Pierce's 38 points lay the hammer on us and we fall 109-99 to the Celtics in the second game.

The next three games are all losses, where our opponents break triple digits and we don't. Our bench is playing for absolute crap and we're not getting much firepower out of anyone but Caron and Curry.

Eddy Curry makes sure the losing streak doesn't hit five, as he scores 30 point and grabs 14 rebounds with 5 assists in a 103-96 win over the Spurs. Caron Butler and David Lee also had double-doubles with 21 points and 11 rebounds and 14 points and 10 rebounds respectively.

Is this the start of a firestorm? No, because the Rockets beat us by 29 and the Mavericks destroy us by 38 in the next two games. We're looking like a definite lottery team out there.

We beat King James and the Cavs behind Caron's 21 points and double-doubles from David Lee and Eddy Curry of 12 and 10 and 16 and 11. Our bench is really struggling though and Mike Montgomery's lost all confidenc e in our #4 overall pick, Acie Law.

The next two games are a split, as we drop one to the Hawks and topple Toronto, the 88-76 Raptors win thanks to Eddy Curry's 10 points, 16 rebounds, 2 assists, steal and 2 blocks and some really hard-nosed defense, not to mention balanced scoring.

Is this a win streak? Yes it is! We beat Toronto again in our next contest, 99-91 on the strength of a balanced scoring attack, led by Caron's double-double of 19 points and 11 rebounds. Greg Oden is having a tough first month, as Chris Bosh is cramping his style in a big way.

Atlanta beats us again, ruining our win streak, Eddy Curry's 30 points and two double-doubles: 12 points and 11 rebounds from David Lee and 19 points and 11 assists from Starbury.

We make up for it by closing out the month with a 112-104 victory over the Grizzlies, Eddy Curry scoring 34 and Starbury doubling for the second straight game with 11 points and 16 assists.

After this first month, we're within shouting distance of .500 at 6-8 and we're already looking a lot better than last year's 23-59 team, if the record is any indication. We're tied for third in the Atlantic, 4 games behind the prohibitive East Conference favorite Celtics.

Wow, I forgot how bad the East sucks. There's only 3 teams with records over .500 right now. Compare this to the West, which has 3 teams with winning records per DIVISION, for a total of 9.

I'm not even going to mention our stats right now, except to say that Eddy Curry is far away our best player with 17.7 PPG and 8.5 RPG.

Oh yeah, Kevin Durant leads all rookies in scoring by a huge margin with 17.2 PPG. Closest guy has barely 10, heh.

[Izulde]

Not a single trade the first month of play. Interesting.

Ah well, saves me from having to review them.

On to month 2!

We open December with two losses, the latter of which is an absolutely hideous 98-59 loss to the Bobcats. If I wanted to get my ass kicked that bad, I would be off playing CH2K8. At least there I get graphics.

The losing streak stretches to four as Mike Montgomery tries a short bench, long bench, any bench to try and get up out of this quagmire we're suddenly in, but this swamp's looking like it has no bottom. Our first double-double in five or six games comes in loss #4, but it's a weak one as Curry gets 13 points and 10 rebounds.

There's a much stronger double-double from Curry next game against the Wizards at 23 points and 17 rebounds, but Gilbert Arenas sets us ablaze with 49 points and our ashes sink to the neverending swamp's bottom in a 114-92 loss, our fifth in a row.

10 points and 16 rebounds from Mr. Curry in our sixth straight defeat, this time at the hands of the Nuggets. 33 points and 16 rebounds shows Eddy's ready but the rest of the team isn't in our 7th straight loss, the Nets our slayers.

Finally, a bit of recovery in the wound, as we squeak out a 100-98 win over the Pistons. Caron scores 23 points and snags 11 boards. Darius Miles shows rare productivity from the bench with 20 points.

Given the narrowness of the win, the 76ers' 111-74 blowout of us in the next contest doesn't surprise me in the least. Even more embarassing, Jamal Crawford is our leading scorer with 24 points.

He leads again, this time with 17 points, in an even more ridiculous loss, 105-69, to the Jazz.

We actually beat a West Conference team in the next game, downing Dallas 96-86. Eddy Curry comes through with a 22 point, 13 rebound performance, Starbury having fun with 13 points and 12 assists.

The Celtics then naturally beat us 111-104, because to have a winning streak in Knicksland is unacceptable. Curry and Starbury double-double their delightment with a mouth-freshening 16 points and 17 rebounds and 20 points and 11 assists respectively. Too bad our collective orange and blue breath stinks.

Santa brings us a present on Christmas Eve, a 106-92 win over Charlotte, David Lee and Starbury his little helpers with 12 points and 13 rebounds and 16 points and 11 assists. Who would've thought Starbury could actually look like a real, live NBA point guard?

But then we shit a giant lump of coal on Christmas Day, losing to the Magic 93-78. David Lee's nice with 15 points and 10 rebounds, but everybody else is naughty. I'm starting to wonder what this team would look like if I'd have taken Durant after all.

Caron scores 29 and Starbury shoots and passes his way to 22 points and 10 assists, but we still fall to the West's worst team, Minnesota, 99-83.

New Year's Eve will be miserable, as we end 2007 with a hangover inducing 109-86 loss to the Nets despite 26 points from Caron and 25 points from Starbury.

So we sit, down in the Atlantic cellar at 9-21. Suddenly 23-59 looks very grimly possible, perhaps even optimistic. Daylight, where the Celtics are shining on top of the mountain at 17-12, is a lonely 8.5 games away.

Four teams above .500 in the East now (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Charlotte) and still nine over even in the West.

Eddy's still our best player, averaging 16.6 points and 9.5 rebounds. Be nice if he could average a double-double for the year by season's end, especially with the cash he's making.

We really need a scorer, but I'm fresh out of chips to trade in.

Kobe Bryant is averaging a sickening 35.7 points per game and Gilbert Arenas is flirting with 30 at 29.3. Kevin Durant is down to 14.4 points per game, but still leads rookies. Greg Oden has picked up the pace and is now averaging 11.1 points, second to Durant, with 8.5 rebounds, second to Spencer Hawes of Boston.

Alando Tucker is averaging 10.1 points a game down in Tulsa and his 4.7 assists per game ranks 10th in the D-League. The Tejanos are mid-pack in the East at 7-8, 2.5 games behind the conference-leading Austin Mammoths.

[Izulde]

Any trades to report in the past month?

Why, yes!

San Antonio Spurs receive:
SF Josh Childress

Atlanta Hawks receive:
PG Brent Barry
San Antonio's 2008 1st round pick

What this means for the Spurs:
Bruce Bowen is 36 and Michael Finley is 34. The Spurs desperately needed a young swingman to fill in the gap when they decline or retire and the 24 year-old Childress fits the bill very nicely. He's more polished than any late 1st round selection next year would be and will be able to step in right away.

What this means for the Hawks:
Childress was in a bad, bad situation in Atlanta. The Hawks have 6 SG/SF types in their early-mid 20s and there was just no room for him in the crowded rotation. Barry gives the Hawks an extra $5.5 million expiring contract to go on top of the $1.7 million space they have now. With a number of other expiring contracts on the roster, Atlanta could position themselves as free agent players this next offseason. The pick is going to be a late 1st, but it's another piece Atlanta can add to their strong youth moment.

Winner: Draw, as both teams win

Hmm, maybe I should see about prying someone loose from the Hawks.

Only on second look, there's nobody I really have any interest in.

Just for the fun of it, I call up Golden State and offer them Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford for Baron Davis. They actually make like they're interested and I'm thinking this has to be some sort of sick, sick joke. So we continue negotiating until they get cold feet and don't consider Curry a good enough centerpiece when trading away Davis.

All right, no problem. I'll just do some more calling and talking, looking for a deal.

I chat up the Sacramento Kings and we get into some discussions concerning my favorite mercurial player, but it doesn't get anywhere.

Then it's on to the Bulls, who I had some earlier discussions with, but the conversation realy starts heating up this go-round, like on the blockbuster level. And then we pull it off.

New York Knicks receive:
SG Ben Gordon
SF Andres Nocioni
Chicago Bulls 2008 1st round pick
Chicago Bulls 2010 1st round pick

Chicago Bulls receive:
PF David Lee
PG Raymond Felton
C Eddy Curry

What this means for the Knicks:
GM Jestor wanted a scoring star and he got one in Gordon, who's averaging 24.6 points a game. At 24, Gordon's the type of player to build a franchise around and it's highly expected that he'll get a contract extension very soon. Nocioni is on a four year deal, the same as Curry, but it's a much more cap-friendly contract. He'll tenatively figure in as the starting PF in the revamped Knicks lineup. The two 1st round picks will go a long way to deciding how this deal eventually goes. Jestor's favorite, rookie Joakim Noah, now takes over as the starting C.

What this means for the Bulls:
Curry returns to Chicago and his improved play in New York should pay divends. The Bulls' faithful is going to be very antsy about this move, given his checkered history with the team in the past. Fortunately, he won't have to be the starting C, where Big Ben Wallace sits. He'll be able to play against smaller players at PF. Lee becomes the Bulls' 6th man and will provide another huge rebounder alongside Wallace. Felton replaces Gordon as the starting SG. For the Bulls, this trade boils down to how well Curry adjusts to being back in Chicago. The team leads the East with an 18-9 record and with a deal this big, anything less than an NBA Finals appearance is a major disappointment.

Winner: New York, as the Knicks build for the future

I can't believe I hornswaggled the Bulls into taking Curry back. Wow! I'm a little sorry to see Felton go, but you have to give up something to get something and I think Gordon can electrify this team. I'm also thrilled Montgomery's named Noah as the starting C. More PT can only be a good thing.

New year, new-look Knicks, same old losing ways as we drop two straight games, 105-80 to Sacramento and 113-97 to Miami. That's okay, as I figured we were in for a rough patch while the team adjusts to a whole new style of play.

Another loss, this time 95-80 to the Cavaliers. Gordon's scored 20+ points in 2 of his first 3 games in the Orange and Blue and Caron's broken the same total in as many games, but the rest of the offense is really struggling.

The drought breaks in a 104-93 victory over the Trailblazers, as Gordon scores 37 points with 3 assists and 7 rebounds and Joakim gets his first double-double as a starter with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

We lose by 10 in the next game to the Hornets, but Caron scores 26, Ben 27 and I get the feeling we'll be just fine once everybody gets used to playing with each other.

A long break and a long game as we drop one 105-82 to the Bulls. Felton and Curry are thriving in the Chicago offense and all we can muster is 26 points from Gordon and an anemic Nocioni double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Maybe I was too hasty.

93-79 loss to the Bulls on the home and away. Curry wins Player of the Game with 19 points, 3 assists, 16 rebounds and a steal. Felton scores 20 points. The fans are going to have my head.

I've lost track of how many games in a row it's been, but we lose in excess of 30 to the Raptors. Out of our 76 points, 24 are scored by Gordon, 23 by Jamal Crawford. Nobody else comes close to double-digit points. Ben Gordon is a lonely, lonely young man.

110-98 loss to Houston, despite Gordon's 34 points and a double-double of 13 points and 10 assists from Starbury. This team is starved for offense. Ironic, considering I traded for Ben Gordon precisely to have a scoring star. Caron's been a disappointment in that regard. Or maybe it's that we need a third scoring option. Or maybe better defense.

Hell, at this point, I don't know.

Milwaukee beats us 119-108 next game. At least we broke 100 points. Ben Gordon scored 39 and Starbury doubled with 24 points and 12 assists. Andres Nocioni got hurt and so we actually had to shift Noah over to PF and start Raef LaFrentz at C. Note to self: Draft a new big man with the lottery pick.

114-105, Phoenix beats us. Our offense shows actual signs of life. Gordon plays brilliantly with 41 points, 2 assists, 9 rebounds and 4 steals, but Caron Butler plays just 3 minutes and I'm fearing the worst, because he has no fouls.

Ugh. Caron Butler - Broken leg. Estimated out 36 days. Our season just hit rock bottom.

Our new lineup:
PG Stephon Marbury
SG Ben Gordon
SF Andres Nocioni
PF Darius Miles
C Joakim Noah

More losses, to the Cavs and the Pistons. Joakim Noah with 12 points and 10 rebounds versus Detroit, Ben Gordon with 36 points, 2 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals in the same game.

A miracle 106-104 win over the Clippers sends the fans into riots of ecstacy. Gordon ravages the Red and White for 42 points. If we can just get some supporting players around him, I think we could be a very good team.

Or is he my version of Mitch Richmond? Yes, that's a Gabriel Arcadia reference. The full dynasty isn't on these boards, because I didn't transfer all of it over. But you can see the full text here: http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=39761 (Returning to the Glory of the 90s: The Gabriel Arcadia Story")

The victory's so cheering that I don't mind the blowout loss against the Nuggets that follows.

And so at month's end, we hold the NBA's worst record at 11-34, but on the bright side, the Chicago Bulls are now a game behind the Detroit Pistons, even if they still own the 2nd best record in the East.

The East's winning records are at five: Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland and Miami, but the Heat are just barely there at 24-23. The West have 8 winning teams, with the Phoenix Suns scorching everyone at a breathtaking 41-6. They're as good as we are bad.

Caron's injury may have a silver lining. It gives me an excuse to point to when I go up for review before the owner after this year.

[Young Drachma]

Makes me want to consider getting this game. Good writing. I'm following your progress.

[MrBug708]

Fun game, but very buggy still

[Neon_Chaos]

You. Can. Say. That. Again.

[Izulde]

Dark Cloud: Thank you. :) I'm enjoying this dynasty quite a lot, which says something because normally I'm a historical guy when it comes to text-sims, with the exceptional of baseball, where I go fictional.

MrBug708: MrBug gettin' buggy wit it? :D Yeah, definitely a fun game.

Neon Chaos: That. Again.

[General Mike]

You should have taken Jeff Green at 4.

[Eaglesfan27]

Makes me want to consider getting this game. Good writing. I'm following your progress.

Me too, I'm enjoying following this and it has made me consider getting it several times since I started reading.

Fun game, but very buggy still


Then I remember this point which I've heard from plenty of people...

[boberot]

Fun but flawed, indeed.

I'm enjoying tracking your progress as I try to restore some glory to the Toronto Raptors [now known as the reborn Buffalo Braves].

Good luck -- looks like you'll have some high draft picks to work with.
:D

[Izulde]

General Mike: Or anybody but Law, it seems. I'm really disappointed he's not earned more minutes from Montgomery, but maybe it's just my unfortunately chosen head coach.

Eaglesfan27: Glad to hear you're enjoying it! :) And of course, it always makes me glad when people get tempted to or do end up buying games because of my dynasties. To me, that's one of the highest compliments a dynasty writer can receive.

boberot: Glad to have you along! How are you doing with TO? Well, okay, Buffalo. And yeah, I should have some decent draft picks to work with, though the Chicago picks probably won't amount to much.

[Cap Ologist]

When your owner asked for your prediction for the season, what did you tell him and how much did you say you would spend?

[Izulde]

When your owner asked for your prediction for the season, what did you tell him and how much did you say you would spend?

I told him it'd be a rebuilding year and that he wouldn't have to pay the luxury tax.

He was pissed at me with both answers. :D

[Izulde]

One trade from last month.

Orlando Magic receive:
PG Mike Conley

Utah Jazz receive:
Orlando Magic 2008 1st round pick

What this means for the Magic:
Orlando was hurting for quality PG depth after Jameer Nelson, so Conley makes sense in this context. It makes even more sense when you consider that with a 19-26 record, the Magic could still contend for a playoff spot in the East and be out of the lottery.

What this means for the Jazz:
This leaves Utah without a quality backup PG and more importantly, it has the Jazz floundering for youth at the spot. Conley was the heir apparent at PG, but now that doesn't happen. If the pick winds up being a mid-to-late selection, Utah could get senior Matt Dickel out of Illinois or senior Josh Gilbert from Wake Forest in the draft.

Winner: Orlando

Oh by the way, just as a strictly out of character note, is there a way to force game-generated rookies to stay four years in college other than a DDS:CB import? At least I was able to kick out the high-schoolers in the game options.

Anyway, looking at the draft listings, right now the top players are a pair of freshman PFs, Ronny Smith out of LSU (24.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 1.3 spg) and Kelvin Moody of Utah (24.9 ppg, 17.1 rpg, 3.0 bpg, 0.8 rpg). Brandon Brooks (SR) is the top PG (#3 overall) and the Utah man is averaging 22.6 ppg, 10.4 apg, 7.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg and 1.5 spg. He's someone we'll definitely be taking a hard look at for our lottery pick in the offseason.

The month opens with a 106-91 loss to the Kings, despite Ben Gordon's magnificient 34 points. Raef LaFrentz in the middle sickens me. The West's best, the Suns, beat us 99-78 the next night and I'm lonely for Caron.

Another West team, another loss, this one a 120-93 blowout to the Jazz. Most noteworthy stat of that game: Deron Williams comes close to embarassing us triple-double style, but we stop him short at 39 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds, 2 steals thrown in for good measure.

A sunbeam peeks through the gloomy cloud of our season as we topple the Heat 105-97. Ben Gordon takes over on offense and defense, with 38 points and 7 assists to go with 3 steals and other miscelleanous stats. Darius Miles put in 15 points from the bench in a too-rare demonstration of offense from our subs.

We go right back to losing, 109-104 to the Celtics. At least we're in a position where we can compete with our fellow teams in the East and all we need is the right pick or two to break through. It's all Ben again, with 42 points, 2 assists and 7 rebounds, but in the end, it's just not enough, not even with Starbury's sidekick 24 points and 8 assists.

Two straight losses to East teams in Charlotte and Philly, neither of which are really close. So much for my competitive theory. Against the Bobcats, Ben's Player of the Game again with 34 points and Joakim Noah double-doubles with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Gordon's golden again against the 76ers, winning his umpteenth Player of the Game with 45 points, but no other Knick scores double-digits in the 105-86 drubbing.

The Gordon magic continues with another PotG performance of 36 points, 4 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals against the Bucks and Joakim Noah and Andres Nocioni actually score 17 and 14 respectively, but 6 Milwaukee players in double-figures, including Michael Redd's 37 points, dooms us to a 112-103 loss.

And so we're 12-41 heading into the All-Star break, still the NBA's worst team record-wise. The second-worst is the New Orleans Hornets at a dismal 15-38. Misery loves company or at least I do.

The All-Star contests go by too fast for me to see anything, but Quincy Douby won something or the other. (Suggestion to Gary: Provide box scores for the All-Star contests as well, not just the games.)

Joakim Noah gets snubbed and so we have no representation at the Rookies-Sophomores game, which is won 90-85 by the first-years. Kevin Durant trumps everyone with 20 points, 3 assists, 5 rebounds, a block and 3 steals in winning MVP. More reminders in the local press about how he could have been a Knick. Greg Oden, by the way, doubled his delightment with 11 points and 15 rebounds. 2 blocks, too.

Still, we aren't totally left without All-Star glitter. Ben Gordon gets selected to the East team, as I expected. What I didn't expect is that he wouldn't get to play a single damned minute. What a crock! The East pulls off the 122-98 upset on Dwayne Wade's 26 point, 12 assist masterpiece, but I'm too pissed to care.

The #9 scorer in the whole NBA at 27.4 points a game and you don't even throw him a few minutes in the All-Star Game?!

It turns out to be a blessing in disguise. The New York media and the fans are so outraged at the incident that they start writing editorials and letters in support of my having the wisdom and intelligence to get Gordon, a legitimate All-Star who deserved to play. More evidence for the Keep Jestor Hired file.

Detroit leads the East by a wide margin and it gets wider after they drop us 113-85. Starbury scores 11 and dishes out 13 assists, which was nice, but Gordon's 30+ streak ended with 22 points and, more embarassingly, we had two starters score 0 points. The goose-eggers were Andres Nocioni and Joakim Noah. I knew my boy Noah was going to struggle on offense, but Nocioni has been a bust in the orange and blue.

Sweet revenge against the 76ers, a 102-94 home win engineered by Gordon's 29 points and Starbury's 20. Darius Miles put up 15 points from the bench and he's gradually, quietly earned more and more of the coaching staff's trust.

A winning streak, an actual winning streak! Ben Gordon is the unstoppable force with 37 points and 10 rebounds in a 100-80 slaying of Indiana. Starbury is the second man with 12 points and 11 assists, while Jamal Crawford scores 19 to lead the reserves.

Unbelievably, we pull off a third straight win, 110-95 victory over the Lakers to end the month. And we do it with just 16 points from Ben. Starbury doubled up with 25 points and 10 assists and the team's two biggest goats, Raef LaFrentz and Andres Nocioni, are positively princely with 22 points and 25 points and 8 rebounds respectively.

It's dizzying, these three consecutive victories. All of a sudden, we're 15-42 and within striking distance of the 16-40 Hornets.

Five +.500 teams in the East at month's end (Boston, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland). The Miami Heat lead the Southeast with a 28-30 record. Talk about embarassing for the conference. Chicago's still solidly the #2 seed, much to my disgruntlement.

Just seven .+500 teams in the West, although the Supersonics and Jazz at both .500 and just miss counting. On the other hand, the Lakers are a surprising 28-27 and in danger of falling into sub-.500 territory.

The Suns are still blistering everyone with a 51-6 record. Kobe Bryant is still king of the scorers at 32.9 points per game, but King James of Lebron is also in the rarefied court of 30+ points at 30.7. Gilbert Arenas stands on the threshold with 29.8 points. Squire Gordon is still flashy and dashy at #9 with 27.3 ppg.

Four players at double-digit assist averages (Steve Nash, Baron Davis, Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul), with Jason Kidd almost there at 9.9. 14 players in double-digit average for rebounds and a slew more just below. Yao Ming is the Emperor of the Boards with a 14.4 average and also leads in double-doubles with 49, a comfortable 9 games ahead of second-place Chris Bosh.

But it's Lebron James who leads in the Grandmaster category of triple-doubles, with 2. Others who have pulled off the ultimate feat thus far this season: Kevin Garnett, T.J. Ford of all people, the ancient Derek Fisher, and Gilbert Arenas.

Down on the farm, Alando Tucker leads the Tejanos in scoring and assists with 11.9 and 4.8 (tied for 8th in the D-League) averages respectively. He might get a callup at some point, though he -is- averaging 3 turnovers a game as well, which is slightly worrying.

I'm also tempted to keep him down there because Tulsa's surged to a 20-15 record, good for second in the D-League East and just a half-game behind the Great Apes of Dakota. It'd be exciting to see at least one Knick have actual team-based success.

[Swaggs]

Just out of curiousity, why isn't Deron Williams on the Jazz?

[rjolley]

Looking at the game recaps, he's still there.


Another West team, another loss, this one a 120-93 blowout to the Jazz. Most noteworthy stat of that game: Deron Williams comes close to embarassing us triple-double style, but we stop him short at 39 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds, 2 steals thrown in for good measure.

[boberot]

Thanks for asking.

The Raptors / Braves are slugging along, just below .500.

I play out almost every game, so I'm just in December.

I wont hedge in on your dynasty, but I drafted Oden who hasn't been special and Chris Bosh is an absolute stud.

Good luck -- I have played against the Knicks and couldn't believe how dangerous this game has made guys like Francis, Starbury and Curry.

[Izulde]

Correct, Deron Williams is still on the Jazz. :)

And yeah, boberot, Curry played well for us and last I looked (the last time we played the Bulls), he was fitting in fine back in Chitown.. Starbury's been a better PG than expected. Francis I haven't checked up on.

[RedHawk00]

Trolling and enjoying... good work.

[Izulde]

Trolling and enjoying... good work.

Thanks! :)

[Swaggs]

Ah... I was confused by the Jazz needing an heir apparent and youth at PG (after they dealt Conley).

[Izulde]

Ah... I was confused by the Jazz needing an heir apparent and youth at PG (after they dealt Conley).

I meant more for the backup PG position. :D Though ironically enough, I just checked and Deron's starting at PG while Derek Fisher is out with an injury.

Quick stat-line for Mr. Williams:

17.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.3 apg, 0.1 bpg, 1.3 spg.

He's got a 78/89 passing rating and 52/62 ballhandling rating, so he could be the PG sure, though I'm not sure how that 2.3 A/TO ratio slots in with premiere PGs.

Highs:
41 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds, a block and 10 steals. :eek: That wizardly ballthievery was in his last game, against Golden State.

[Izulde]

At least I don't need to worry about the Ides of March, because this season's already been killed off.

Only trade of last month was a big one in terms of numbers.

Cleveland Cavaliers receive:
SG Mike Miller
Memphis Grizzlies 2008 2nd round pick

Memphis Grizzlies:
PG Daniel Gibson
SG Shannon Brown
SG David Wesley
SF Ira Newble

What this means for the Cavaliers:
Miller's masquerading at PG for the Cavs, even though he's not suited to the role. But that doesn't matter, because what he gives Cleveland is the all-important second scoring option to King James, which is the Cavs' biggest weak link. The 2nd round selection is just sweet, sweet icing.

What this means for the Grizzlies:
The deal boils down to Miller for Gibson, because Memphis released Brown, Wesley and Newble immediately after the trade. Gibson's got some potential, but he's excruitiatingly raw. That said, Memphis is so bad they can make him their 7th man and give him a little more PT. So why dump Miller, an accomplished, in-his-prime scorer for this project? $8.25 mill, $9 mill, $9.75 mill. That's how much Mike's owed over the next three years. By kicking his contract off the books, the Grizzlies are now almost $15 mill. under the cap. Can you say free agent players?

Winner: Both teams benefit, but the Cavaliers improve themselves by a greater degree

We get Caron back before our first game and we welcome him with a painful 92-90 loss to the Magic that snaps our three-game win streak. Can't fault Gordon, though, who scored 39 or Starbury, who had 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Starbury loses his starting job for the next game, allegedly due to injury, as we go with a lineup of PG Ben Gordon, SG Andres Nocioni, SF Caron Butler, PF Joakim Noah and C Raef LaFrentz. End result? We beat Golden State 105-87. Gordon double-doubles with 35 points and 11 assists and Caron scores 22.

Could this be the winning combination?

A tough 88-83 loss to the Wizards, still with that new lineup, is showing competitive results, even though Gilbert Arenas puts up a breathtaking 50 points on his quest for 30 ppg average. Caron double-doubled in this one with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Long layoff, larger loss, 105-96 to the Supersonics. Andres Nocioni really is terrible and shouldn't be a starter on ay team, but unfortunately we're stuck with him because nobody wants his contract.

Starbury kicks up a fuss after those two straight losses and wins his starting job back. It works as we top the Heat 108-99 behind Gordon's 29 points and Starbury's 23. Maybe we can even break 20 wins this year, eh?

We split the next pair of games, getting trounced by the Hawks and nipping the Heat again. Joakim Noah goes on a rebounding tear, 21 rebounds against Atlanta, 20 rebounds versus Miami. Wow! Ben Gordon provides the offense in the Miami win with 27 points.

Our jubiliation is somewhat diminished when the Spurs obliterate us 100-70. We got our tails kicked so bad, just two players on the whole team hit double-digit scoring, Caron with 13 and Nocioni with 10.

The 107-106 loss to the Celtics makes my teeth hurt. One stinking point. Gordon scored 34 and Caron doubled with 13 points and 11 rebounds. The potential is definitely there. We need a true C though, one that can shift my boy Noah to his native spot of PF and kick Nocioni to the reserves.

Another two losses, not even close to the Sonics, just 3 points away from the Trailblazers. Gordon scores 31 against Portland and Darius Miles scores 18 from the bench in the same game. I like Miles, I really do. He's a lot better than Jamal Crawford, who's still asininely listed as the 6th man.

The losing streak hits four against Golden State, but we rebound with a thrilling 92-90 win over the Lakers, Kobe's 45 points just not enough to bail out the Purple and Gold. Funny how the Lakers generally do poorly against my first-year teams.

Our chance for Win #20 goes up in flames against the Nets. Ben Gordon was masterful with 37 points, 4 assists, 7 rebounds and 4 steals, but nobody us really came to play in the 107-91 loss.

So we're 19-52 at month's end. 11 games to get one win to 20. We need 4 more wins out of those 11 to reach 24 wins and beat last year's total.

Five winning teams in the East (Boston, Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago). The Cavs are a game ahead of the Bulls for the 2nd best record in the East at 45-26. Go Cleveland! Washington's a half-game ahead in the Southeast with a 33-38 mark.

Nine victorious teams in the West as they reassert their league dominance. Phoenix is 64-8. 10 games left in which they need to go 9-1 if they want to be single-digit losses for the regular season.

Kobe Bryant still leads in scoring with 32 points even. Gilbert Arenas, no doubt helped in large part by his 50 points against us, is part of the 30+ club at 30.1. King James is down to 29.7 and Michael Redd is at 29 even. I think Lebron will take a sub-30 point per game average in exchange for the much-improved team play since acquiring Miller. Gordon's still #9 at 27.4 points per game.

Alando Tucker is still getting it done in Tulsa, 11.9 ppg and 5 apg, the latter of which is good for 6th in the D-League. The good news for the Tejanos? They're tied with Dakota. The bad news? The Austin Mammoths went on a tear and stand 3 games up on the Great Apes and the Tejanos in the D-League East. I'm not sure how the D-League playoffs work, but if it's just the top two teams in each conference that get to go, Alando's boys better step to it.

I'll leave him in Tulsa for the rest of the season so they have the best shot of making the postseason.

[Izulde]

We secure our 20th win of the year by toppling the Bucks 111-104 on April Fool's Day. Ben Gordon has a brilliant all-around game of 39 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, with Joakim Noah doubling up for 12 points and 14 rebounds. Jamal Crawford and Darius Miles provide 14 and 15 points off the bench respectively.

Tough 94-89 loss to the Pacers, as Indiana clamps down on defense. We lose the next two as well, 115-106 to the Nets, 101-96 to the Bulls. Shame we lost the New Jersey game, as Starbury and Noah each got double-doubles, 13 points and 16 assists, 17 points and 14 rebounds respectively.

Against Chicago, Noah had 12 points and 10 rebounds. We also shut down Eddy Curry, whose numbers have taken a significant drop since he's returned to Chicago. Raymond Felton scored 24 on us, but he, too, has seen a dip in his numbers since the trade, though nothing like what Curry's going through.

Our losing ways hit again, 114-106 against the Pacers, even though Ben Gordon scored 66 points, with 2 assists, 8 rebounds and 2 steals. :eek: I don't think I've -ever- seen anyone score 66 points in this game! Unfortunately, nobody else scores in double-digits.

Here's the box score:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v324/Izulde/66gordon.jpg

Win #21 comes against the Raptors, a 95-82 victory keyed by Gordon's 33 points. What an absolutely phenemonal player he is.

The Cavaliers destroy us in the next game, Starbury's weakling double-double of 10 points and 10 assists the Knicks highlight. King James bombed us for 43 points, which put him over the 30 point per game hump. We lose two more, against the Bobcats and the Hawks, despite Gordon's 30 points and Noah's 10 points and 10 rebounds versus Charlotte.

Chicago ravages us 105-88 in the second-to-last game of the season, but we end the year on a high note, a 103-67 thrashing of the Wizards, highlighted by Gordon and Caron with 25 and 24 points respectively.

And so we finish the season 22-60, just one win less than last year. The Hornets and the Trailblazers were both 24-58. I'm shocked at Portland's collapse, though Steve Francis did miss 20 games with a broken ankle and Kevin Durant averaged a modest 14.4 ppg, not the explosive sort of production some expected out of him.

Speaking of scoring, Kobe Bryant won the title with 31.1 ppg, King James also at the court of 30+ with 30.2. Just behind were Gilbert Arenas (29.4), Ray Allen (29.2) and Michael Redd (29.1). Our own Ben Gordon polevaulted to 6th, with a 27.8 ppg average.

Four players averaged double-digit assists: Steve Nash and Baron Davis with 10.9, Jason Kidd with 10.2 and Chris Paul with 10 even.

16 players had 10+ boards per game, led by Yao Ming with 14.4, Ben Wallace second with 13.8. Andrei Kirilenko led in blocks average with an even 4, Elton Brand and Josh Smith the others with 3+ at 3.2. Ron Artest and Gerald Wallace led the league in steal averages, both at 2.1 spg.

Yao Ming absolutely dominated in double-doubles, with 72 double-doubles out of 82 games. :eek: Chris Bosh was second with 59, followed by 55 from Dwight Howard, Baron Davis and Kevin Garnett rounding out the 50s with precisely 50.

10 players had triple doubles, but only Lebron James and Gilbert Arenas did it more than once, at twice.

Alando Tucker's up to 12.2 ppg (tied for 6th in the D-League) and 5.1 apg (6th in the D-League) down in Tulsa and there's a 3-way tie in the D-League East for 1st place, as the Tejanos, Great Apes and Mammoths are all 28-22.

Next time, postseason results.

[MrBug708]

SO how many years until the drafted players actually make the all league teams? :) I give it 7

[Izulde]

SO how many years until the drafted players actually make the all league teams? :) I give it 7

Yeah I read that thread on the WS boards, too. Just have to see what happens. :D

[Izulde]

Most fun matchup of the 1st round: (4) Charlotte vs (5) Chicago. Just why the Bobcats were the #4 seed I don't understand, since they won their division, albeit with a 40-42 record. Maybe there's a .500 or better rule that applies.

Of course, it was fun only because of the former Knicks players involved on both teams.

Charlotte broke out to a 2-0 series lead behind hot shooting from Gerald Wallace and Adam Morrison. Channing Frye had a double-double in the opening victory as well. Meanwhile, Raymond Felton was struggling a bit and Eddy Curry wasn't acting like the dominant force they'd hoped for. Wallace had 7 blocks in Game 2.

Tulsa did make the playoffs, drawing the 3 seed and the right to play the Dakota Great Apes, who were the 2 seed. Ironically enough, Mardy Collins and Renaldo Balkman both started for Dakota, but despite fine play from them, the Tejanos won Game 1 85-68. Alando Tucker was a key contributor, with 8 points, 11 assists, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.

The Bulls bounced back to win Game 3 83-70 behind Kirk Hinrich's 27 points. Felton's shooting woes continued and Curry stayed a postseason non-entity.

Charlotte won Game 4 handily 101-90 behind a balanced scoring attack and a big-time 17 bench points from Sean May.

Hinrich came through in the clutch again with an incredible 28 points and 16 assists and Eddy Curry finally broke through with 22 points and 8 rebounds as the Bulls won Game 5 to stave off elimination. Felton and Channing Frye were still quiet, though.

Felton finally found something of a shooting stroke in Game 6 and Hinrich was sensational with 36 points, 7 assists, 2 rebounds and 3 steals, but Raymond's 16 points wasn't enough to overcome the balanced scoring attack of the Bobcats as Charlotte stunned Chicago 109-108 to pull off the upset in six.

For a team that'd had NBA Finals aspirations, the first-round bowout was on the level of a minor disaster. Felton's weak play contrasted with Gordon's stardom in New York had the Chicago papers bemoaning the lost 1st round pick and wondering aloud just how far the Bulls might've gotten if Ben was still paired with Hinrich in the backcourt.

That wasn't the only first round shock, though. The 8th seed 76ers knocked off 1 seed Detroit in five games and 6 seed Boston upended the Raptors in seven (the Celtics lost the tiebreaker). King James and the Cavs barely beat the 7th seed Hawks.

In the West, which was Lakers-less, all four of the top seeds won, though the Jazz and Mavericks gave the Rockets and Spurs respectively all they could handle, taking Houston and San Antonio to seven games.

And evidently the D-league playoffs are one and down, because the Tejanos advanced to the East Conference finals against the Austin Mammoths. It was there that Tulsa finally fell, 96-75 to a vastly superior Austin squad. Alando Tucker did score 11 points, though.

Boston, Phoenix and Houston rolled over the Cavaliers, Nuggets, and Spurs respectively in five games. Mike Miller wasn't a strong enough second to overcome the fiery Celtics combo of Paul Pierce and Wally Sczerbiak, even if King Games averaged 28.7 points a game in the postseason. Charlotte topped Philadelphia in Game 6 as the Bobcats continued their miracle run with balanced scoring (5 Charlotte players averaged double-digit scoring through the first two series and Nate Robinson, another once-Knick, was right behind at 9.7) and strong rebounding, highlighted by Emeka Okafor (9.8) and our own Channing Frye (8.1).

So the Conference Finals matchups were Boston-Charlotte and Phoenix-Houston. The East had the Celtics as overwhelming favorites, but the West looked like a close matchup, with the three-headed Suns hydra of Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire and Shawn Marion against the otherwordly Yao Ming (29.7 ppg, 13.5 apg in the postseason to that point) and his 20.5 point per game-averaging second, Tracy McGrady.

Charlotte spanked Boston by 20 points in Game 1 behind outstanding defensive play from the Bobcats frontcourt of Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor and Channing Frye. They also played well offensively, with 24 points from Wallace and double-doubles of 10 points and 11 boards from Okafor, 16 and 14 from Frye.

In the West, Steve Nash burned the Rockets for 34 points and 9 assists, while Amare grounded Houston with 20 points and 12 rebounds in a 10-point Series opening victory.

Game 2s were closer, but Charlotte and Phoenix won again, the Bobcats supported by supersub Sean May's 20 points and 13 rebounds, the Suns shining with double-doubles from the Big Three: Nash (22 points, 10 assists), Amare (12 points, 10 rebounds), Marion (10 points, 12 rebounds) and an absolutely unexpected 29 points from Boris Diaw. Tracy McGrady's 36 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds, block, and 5 steals were all for naught.

Brevin Knight and Sean May shoved the Celtics to the brink of elimination with 25 points and 12 assists and 17 points and 10 rebounds respectively in a 109-90 Game 3 win. May's only a sub! I have to figure out a way to get him on the Knicks at some point.

Meanwhile, Yao finally broke out with 32 points and 15 rebounds, while Tracy McGrady scored 30. Easy win for the Rockets, right? Wrong. Steve Nash scored 39 and the Suns bench schooled the Rocket reserves to push Houston to the edge of the void.

And the sweep was on in the East, as 7 Bobcats scored in double-digits, the biggest player Emeka Okafor with 11 points and 11 rebounds. Channing Frye deserves mention as well, for his 14 point, 9 rebound, 4 block game. You're welcome, Charlotte! Wally Szczerbiak did his best, but his 30 points just wasn't enough and neither was Paul Pierce's 21 points and 13 rebounds.

Steve Nash permanently halted any hopes of a Rocket launch with 27 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds, Amare and Marion contributing 14 points, 12 rebounds and 11 points, 16 rebounds. Yao had 28 points and 11 rebounds, McGrady 18 points and 11 rebounds, but they were the majority of Houston's offense in a 90-81 defeat.

NBA Finals
Charlotte Bobcats vs. Phoenix Suns

If you'd told me before the season that Charlotte would be the East's representative in the Finals, especially with a 40-42 regular season record, I'd have said you were crazy.

Has there even been a Finals team with a sub-.500 record? Talk about history in the making!

But there's a lot to like about this Bobcats team. They played gritty, hard-nosed defense, especially in the frontcourt and they utilize a balanced attack rather than relying on one or two superstars.

Then you've got the Suns, who went 72-10 in the regular season, and who have the Big Three, as well as a guy who can break out with the buckets if need be in Boris Diaw.

Unstoppable force, immovable object. I'm betting on the unstoppable force in this one.

Before the Finals, I sign Ben Gordon to a 5 year, $7.5 mill. base salary, 10% a year raises. Yeah, it's a big contract, but he had us over a barrel as our lone superstar and he'll only be 29 by the time the extension ends, so we're in a good position to re-evaluate him at that time. He only breaks $10 million in the last year, too, so it's a lot better value than some other contracts on this roster I could mention...

Steve Nash scores 11 points and dishes out 15 assists to lead a surprisingly balanced team effort in a 108-81 victory in Game 1 of the NBA Finals. Marcus Banks contributes 15 from the bench for the Suns.

Game 2 is much more high-scoring and much tighter, but Phoenix prevails 115-102. Steve Nash is the man of the hour again, with 26 points and 11 assists and Chris Mihm of all people contributes 14 points to head up the reserves. Can't blame the Bobcats, though. Adam Morrison lit up the scoreboard with 33 points, Emeka Okafor double-doubled with 12 points and 11 rebounds and so did supersub Sean May with 11 points and 11 boards.

18 points from May, 20 from Morrison and 24 points and 14 rebounds from Emeka Okafor aren't enough to counteract 28 points and 13 assists from Nash, 25 points from Boris Diaw and 29 points and 17 rebounds from Amare Stoudamire in a 124-111 Game 3 Suns victory. This is looking like the sweep everybody predicted when the Finals matchup was revealed.

And so it is, as Nash puts up 31 points and 12 assists, Amare Stoudamire 22 points and 13 rebounds in a 120-113 Suns win for the 4-0 Finals sweep. Good try by the Bobcats, who got 18 points from Rodney Stuckey on the bench and 24 and 23 points a piece from Adam Morrison and Gerald Wallace, but it just wasn't enough.

Congratulations to the NBA Champion Phoenix Suns!

Oh yeah, Bakersfield beat Austin in the D-League final if anyone cares.

Awards and offseason to be announced later.

[RedHawk00]

interested in seeing what the young gm does this time around in the draft...

[MizzouRah]

I haven't popped my head in the dynasty forum in quite some time. I'm glad I did... excellent read!

[Izulde]

RedHawk00: Yep, if I don't get fired, that is. :D

MizzouRah: Thanks! :) Glad to have you back around these parts.

[Izulde]

The draft lottery is the first big event of the offseason and we've got a 23.3% chance of landing the 1st pick, tops among all teams, which of course means we probably won't get it.

Picks 14-7 play out as expected, but then the spirit of Gabriel Arcadia must've interceded on behalf of the Timberwolves, because Minnesota doesn't show up at #6.

Things hold to form through pick #4, so we're guaranteed a top 3 selection. The T-Wolves come up at #3! Could that #1 pick be ours after all?

YES!! PORTLAND GETS THE #2 SELECTION!

KNICKS WIN!!! KNICKS WIN!!!!

NBA Draft Lottery Results
1. New York Knicks
2. Portland Trailblazers
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (+3)
4. New Orleans Hornets (-1)
5. Memphis Grizzlies (-1)
6. New Jersey Nets (-1)
7. Milwaukee Bucks
8. Golden State Warriors
9. Utah Jazz
10. Miami Heat
11. Los Angeles Lakers
12. Washington Wizards
13. Indiana Pacers
14. Los Angeles Clippers

Fresh off the celebration of winning the lottery, we head straight into the Awards. I'm hoping Ben Gordon will pick something up, as I'll need to state my case to our owner for me to stay on another year.

Major Awards
MVP
Yao Ming - Houston Rockets (27.6 ppg, 14.4 rpg, 2.4 apg, 1.3 bpg, 0.9 spg)
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz (12.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 3.3 apg, 4.0 bpg, 1.6 spg)
Rookie of the Year
Spencer Hawes - Boston Celtics (7.6 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 3.2 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.9 spg)
6th Man of the Year
P.J. Brown - Philadelphia 76ers (9.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.5 bpg, 0.8 spg)
Coach of the Year
Gregg Popovich - San Antonio Spurs (62-20)

Mike D'Antoni got ripped off, as did Sean May. They should've won Coach of the Year and 6th Man of the Year respectively. Hawes winning over Oden and Durant was a considerable surprise as well.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Paul Pierce - Boston Celtics
PF Elton Brand - Los Angeles Clippers
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Mike Bibby - Sacramento Kings
SG Ray Allen - Seattle Supersonics
SF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
PF Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
C Chris Bosh - Toronto Raptors

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Wally Szczerbiak - Boston Celtics
PF Kevin Garnett - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Brad Miller - Sacramento Kings

Damn. Still, Ben had a lot of stiff competition at the SG spot and it's hard to argue with the three guys who were picked ahead of him. By the way, how weak is the C class in the NBA still when a guy like Brad Miller makes an All-NBA team?

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Jason Kidd - New Jersey Nets
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Elton Brand - Los Angeles Clippers
C Ben Wallace - Chicago Bulls

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
C Marcus Camby - Denver Nuggets

Nice to see the Bobcats' tough team D get recognition in Wallace.

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Mike Conley - Orlando Magic
SG Nick Young - Los Angeles Clippers
SF Kevin Durant - Portland Trailblazers (14.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 0.5 bpg, 1.0 spg)
PF Brandan Wright - Houston Rockets
C Spencer Hawes - Boston Celtics

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Javaris Crittenton - Milwaukee Bucks
SG Rodney Stuckey - Charlotte Bobcats
SF Corey Brewer - Orlando Magic
PF Jason Smith - Washington Wizards
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors (12.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 2.9 apg, 1.7 bpg, 0.8 spg)

I don't get it. Oden averages 5 points a game and three times as many bpg more than Hawes, just a rebound and 0.3 apg less and he loses Rookie of the Year? Ridiculous!

Greg Oden should've won Rookie of the Year and been named to the 1st team, Hawes the 2nd team. I suspect Hawes won because the Celtics made it to the Conference finals, whereas the Raptors were knocked out by Boston in the first round.

Very disappointing that Noah didn't make the 2nd rookie team over Smith, though I can see why.

The day after the awards come out, my cell phone rings that special tone that sing-songs Owner.

Gulp.

Mr. Charles Rolen asks how I thought I did. I didn't do an excellent job, I know that. Acie Law looks like a busted pick and Joakim Noah was inconsistent. We also fell short of improving upon or even matching last year's 23 wins. On the other hand, I brought in a young franchise face and legitimate All-Star in Ben Gordon and stockpiled picks for the future. I also cleared up some of the cap nightmare.

All in all, not too bad, is the perfect description of how I'd assess my performance.

...Uh oh. Owner man says he doesn't agree. Says the team wasn't what I said it was and that I spent more money than we agreed on. ...Bastard. I -told- him it'd be a rebuilding year and that he wouldn't have to pay the luxury tax. But I guess he read the preseason hype that said we'd be a 5 seed in the playoffs and evidently he's counting the fat buyout cash we gave to Isiah against me.

In fact, he so disagrees with me, he says he's going to have to really think about whether to keep me on past this gimmick year.

I'm not going to beg, nor am I going to tell him to fuck off, much as I'd like to. No, I'll just ask him for a little more time. This isn't going to be a team that gets rebuilt overnight, after all.

"Sounds to me like you're trying to throw your own hand-picked coach under the bus. Montgomery's a respected NBA man."

....What?! That's not what I-

"You're fired. Clear out your desk by tomorrow morning 10 am sharp."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

Now what do I do?

[boberot]

OUCH.

All that effort.
Man, I'd be steamed.

Hey, maybe you just play it out and see who offers you a job? Although, I wouldnt blame you for just pulling the plug and starting over with a new team.

My condolences.

[MizzouRah]

Wow.. that sucks! Kind of realistic though I guess... maybe? :)

I would see if you can get with another team and show the NY owner what a mistake he made.

The bad thing is.. you had the 1st and 2nd picks of the draft. :(

[Izulde]

boberot: Yeah, I'm pretty ticked myself. Granted, I knew it was a possibility because the NY owner had the worst combo of traits (Very High Desire to Win, Very Low Patience, Very Low Willingness to Spend Money), but still... I got us a freaking franchise scorer, who's only 24, and signed him to a great deal considering his talent level, picked up a few future 1st rounders and it's just... ugh! The sad part is I'm going to have to watch the next few seasons while the guy who takes over reaps the benefits.

MizzouRah: Yeah, I'm going to try and get hired by someone else. I wouldn't have had the #1 and #2 picks in this draft though, for two reasons:

1) The initial Portland 1st rounder I acquired was for the 2009 draft. This is 2008.
2) I traded away that 2009 1st rounder to the Supersonics as part of the deal to draft #10 last year and take Joakim Noah.

The Ben Gordon thing is really what hacks me off the most. I had visions of him as the star in Orange and Blue for the next five years and I would always be able to say I'm the one who brought him to the Big Apple.

But oh well.

Just have to see if anybody picks me up is all.

[Izulde]

The only openings are in the D-League. So, do you guys think I should take a job there or sit out a year?

[JeffNights]

The only openings are in the D-League. So, do you guys think I should take a job there or sit out a year?



Screw that! Put yourself back as Coach. F this game logic. :)

[MizzouRah]

You're right.. I thought the picks were this year.

I don't know.. if there is a way to override the firing, I might do it... if it was me.

Now that I think about it, I don't think an owner would hire a GM who he knows is going to "rebuild" his team and then fire him at the end of 1 year. If that was the case, wouldn't he have hired someone who wants to win "NOW"?

I say give yourself 2 more years. :)

[Izulde]

JeffNights: No way I'm coaching. I'm strictly GM in Gary's pro hoops games. :D

MizzouRah: Well, don't forget, the owner had to hire me as GM for one year because I won the gimmicky raffle to be the Knicks GM for a year. My guess is he had no intention of keeping me on anyway. :) Besides, as I noted in the WS thread, I don't think it'd be possible to do that in a SP game anyway. I would've had to set it as a MP game at start.

[Izulde]

After spending a few days recovering from my outraged shock and dismay that I had in fact been only given one season as the raffle's terms dictated, even though I'd built the Knicks for the future, I started making inquiries around the league.

Not a single blessed NBA team other than the Knicks had a GM vacancy.

So I swallowed my pride, took a deep breath and started calling the D-League teams, resolving not to GM Tulsa so I didn't have to face the Knicks players.

The first team I called was the Anaheim Cats, because I love warm weather, California girls and places not named Los Angeles.

Ray Ginger, the owner, was ecstatic that I wanted to GM for them.

"You got a raw deal in New York. A lot of people saw the good you did for the Knicks' future, including me. So if you want a job here until something opens up back in the NBA, we'd absolutely love to have you."

What could I say? It was a great city (think Disneyland!), great weather and a place where I could heal from the scars of my unjust firing.

So I took it.

The Cats had gone 23-27 the year before, but that meant nothing because, as I very quickly found out, the D-League's teams rebuilt themselves year after year via a draft. Although I only planned to be around one season, I made up my mind that I would try to have some continuity in players if this turned out to be a multi-year gig. Would be good for the fanbase.

Ray called the next day and said, "Just to put together a competitive team and we'll be fine."

Talk about an easy goal! Or maybe not, considering the draft bust picks I made last year.

I left the coaching staff as it was, simply because as a D-League team, we didn't have much money. Besides, John Britton seemed like a pretty good coach for our level.

Remember last season, when I said the freshman phenom PFs Kelvin Moody and Ronny Smith were the top of the draft class? That still held true, with senior PG Brandon Brooks from Utah, the player I coveted the most projected to go #3 to Minnesota.

The mock drafts all had Moody going to the Knicks at #1 and it was hard to argue with it. The Utes won the national championship last year only because of Brooks, but because of Moody, who averaged 24.8 ppg, 17.2 rpg, 4.9 apg, 3.0 bpg and 0.8 spg. Brooks, by the way, also averaged 24.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 11.3 apg, 1.3 bpg and 1.6 spg. That's almost 50 points a game averaged between just *2* players on the same college team.

Now that's simply dynamite and it's no wonder Utah won the title.

Oh, Moody and Brooks weren't the only Utes. There was also physical freak of nature sophomore C Rudy Braun, he of the 7'5", 301 lbs. body. His numbers weren't that great, though. 16.8 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.7 bpg, 0.7 spg. Then again, with Moody and Brooks there, it's hard to argue with that. By the way, we're up to 66 points a game on average between those 3 Utes players. Braun's projected to go 9th to the Jazz.

I thought we were done looking at Utes, but apparently not. Senior PF B.J. Whitehead averaged 12.9 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.6 bpg and 0.7 spg. roughly 78 points a game for 4 players. Projection: 19 to the Mavericks.

20 to the Raptors: Senior SF Julius Augustin, 22.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.2 bpg, 2.3 spg. Let's see, that's now almost 100 points a game on average for the Utes' starting 5. Wow! I'm going to have to follow those five Utah players, because that's just insane.

By the way junior C Travon Oris out of Oklahoma is the expected pick for the Knicks at #22, the selection I scored from the Bulls as part of the Gordon trade.

2008 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. PF Ronny Smith - New York Knicks

Hard to argue with Smith too, as he averaged 29.6 ppg and 12.7 rpg for LSU in the SEC, as opposed to all the Utah players from a mid-major conference.

2. PG Brandon Brooks - Portland Trailblazers*
3. PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves*

Our first two Fab Five Utes players go back to back at #2 and #3. Great pickup for Garnett in arguably the top player of the draft. Portland's youth movement keeps looking better and better.

4. SG Donnell Rosen - New Orleans Hornets
5. SG Wesley Tonella - Memphis Grizzlies
6. PF Pete Worden - New Jersey Nets
7. PG Kyle Morris - Milwaukee Bucks
8. C Murry Alexander - Golden State Warriors
9. C Matt Stidham - Utah Jazz

Loud boos erupted in the draft room when the selection was announced. Here the Jazz had a brilliant marketing opportunity to take a guy like say, Julius Austin or, if they needed a center, Rudy Braun from the hometown Utes and they piss it away for a guy from Duke. Granted, Stidham was probably the best C available in the draft, even more than Alexander, but still..

10. SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat*

Celebrations broke out, both among the analysts and the Heat fans in attendance. Shaq and Wade just got themselves a legitimate scorer and defender with this pick and the Jazz are going to regret this bypass for a long, long time. Austin may have been projected to go #19 in the mocks, but as the draft drew closer, more and more reports came out that he was having brilliant workouts with NBA teams and quickly moving up to Top 10 pick territory. I'll definitely be following this Ute closely.

11. SF Derrick Robinson - Los Angeles Lakers
12. C Rob Anderson - Washington Wizards
13. SG Kyle Kendrick - Indiana Pacers
14. PG Anthony Masic - Los Angeles Clippers
15. PG Nick Lindquist - Philadelphia 76ers
16. C Fernando Patterson - Atlanta Hawks
17. SF Travann Parris - Charlotte Bobcats
18. SF Brooks Smith - Seattle Supersonics
19. PF Narve Schermerhorn - Dallas Mavericks

Schermerhorn is Dutch and he may be one of the few Hollanders to actually play in the NBA. No surprise that the Mavericks drafted him, obviously, given their foreign trend.

20. SF Corey Shivers - Toronto Raptors
21. SG Keith Davis - Boston Celtics
22. PG Josh Gilbert - Utah Jazz

The boos rain down even louder this time, as the Jazz again bypass the remaining Utes and opt with another ACC player, this time the PG from Wake Forest. Jazz fans no doubt consider their front office Demon Deacons after this draft.

23. PG Matt Dickel - Denver Nuggets
24. C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks*

Irony, you stab me with your knife. You stab me with your knife six times and I bleed. Yeah, I honestly would've taken Braun here, too. Too big a need area and too great a story to follow. Quite a fall for him, though, to go from a projected Top 10 pick all the way to late 1st round. Braun really bombed in the workouts and it became apparent to a lot of people that his success was because of the rest of the Utes, not because of him.

So now, B.J. Whitehead is the only undrafted starting Ute. I have a hunch he'll fall to the 2nd round.

25. PF Ryan Glosier - Cleveland Cavaliers
26. SG Raul Giles - Sacramento Kings
27. PF Chezley McCleary - Houston Rockets
28. SF Kenneth Worthing - Detroit Pistons
29. C Travon Orvis - Atlanta Hawks
30. SG Mike Anderson - Phoenix Suns

2 (19) SF Brian Robertson - Dallas Mavericks*
13.1 ppg ([b]over 100 points per game average now), 9.6 rpg, and some other stuff I missed. Good blocking skills if I remember right.

2 (27) PF B.J. Whitehead - Houston Rockets*
That's over a full round he dropped. Given that Houston drafted a PF in the 1st round as well, Whitehead's days look numbered.

D-League Draft is up soon. It's going to be a real test of my GM skills there. I was secretly hoping Whitehead would drop out completely so that I could draft him in the D-league draft, but evidently it's not meant to be.

Fun draft to watch, though.

[Neon_Chaos]

I love how you manage to breathe life into the game, Izulde.

I've tried to do so a couple of times, but seems like my imagination and enthusiasm always fails me with DDS:PB.

Maybe I'm just too spoiled by FM. :D

[Izulde]

I love how you manage to breathe life into the game, Izulde.

I've tried to do so a couple of times, but seems like my imagination and enthusiasm always fails me with DDS:PB.

Maybe I'm just too spoiled by FM. :D

Thanks :)

Oddly enough, I have the same problem with FM that you do with DDS:PB. Not sure why that is, though.

[Izulde]

The summer league whizzes by and I don't pay much attention, though maybe I should have. I wish there was a way to be able to see the summer league leaders, as it'd help out D-League GMs a bit.

Free agency is a lot more active as well. I'll skip past the re-signings and highlight some of the major team changes.

Josh Childress - Memphis Grizzlies - 3 years, $11.8 mill.
Hilton Armstrong - Memphis Grizzlies - 3 years, $16.4 mill.
Monta Ellis - Atlanta Hawks - 5 years, $33.4 mill.
Grant Hill - San Antonio Spurs - 1 year, $4.5 mill.
Chris Mihm - Orlando Magic - 3 years, $11.1 mill.
Bonzi Wells - Chicago Bulls - 4 years, $24.7 mill.

Armstrong's an average starting C, but it looks like the Grizz way overpaid for Childress to occupy a mid-bench spot.

Ellis was a veritable steal. Only 22 years old, steps in as the starting PG for the Hawks and looks primed for a breakout season. Stupid move by the Golden State Warriors to let him go, who were idiots in the Gabriel Arcadia dynasty too.

Hill is what he is, a one-year greybeard rental to push the Spurs to another title. Mihm jumps from his successful backup spot with the NBA Champion Phoenix Suns to get a nice paycheck and a starting spot with the Magic. Good deal for both ends. Wells is a defensive stopper, but didn't deserve that kind of cash or years, not when he's 32 years old and consigned to the bench behind Kirk Hinrich and Raymond Felton.

A quick look after training camps:

New York Knicks Starters
PG Stephon Marbury
SG Ben Gordon
SF Caron Butler
PF Joakim Noah
C Raef LaFrentz

Ronny Smith is the 7th man, even though he looks like a franchise type player in the making. My guess is we see him in the starting lineup by season's end, with Noah shifted to C. Ute Rudy Braun is the 9th man and doesn't look to have much ceiling.

The Tejanos are going to have a good backcourt this year, as both Acie Law and Alando Tucker were sent down. Bad news for us in Anaheim.

The Utah Six
PG Brandon Brooks - 7th man (Portland)
-Hard-nosed, intelligent defensive player. Skills aren't quite up to starting PG material yet, though.
PF Kelvin Moody - Starting SF (Minnesota)
-Garnett gets an incredible running mate in Moody, who looks like an ungodly rebounder with a sweet shooting and scoring touch to go with above-average defense. Early odds-on favorite for Rookie of the Year. Why did the Knicks pass him up?
SF Julius Austin - 10th man (Miami)
-Isn't the scorer most people thought he was, but he's a lockdown defender, already on the elite level. Doesn't appear to have much upside, though.
C Rudy Braun - 9th man (New York)
-Career bench player from the looks of his first training camp and an absolute waste of a man of his size. Too bad.
SF Brian Robertson - 10th man (Dallas)
-Biggest strength is at the charity stripe and his versatility, as he can play everything but the two guard spots. Disciplined and smart, with some rebounding and defensive talent.
PF B.J. Whitehead - 10th man (Houston)
-Respectable rebounder, but the Rockets have 3 PFs who are either rookies or second-year players, including starting PF and last year's All-Rookie 1st Team PF Brandan Wright. Just what Houston was doing spending both draft picks on more PFs I have no idea.

So after these first impressions, it's looking like most of the Utah Six are going to have scrubby pro careers, though Moody appears to be an All-Star in the making and Brooks should be a quality starting PG.

D-League draft time!

Last year's starting PF for the Anaheim Cats, Nick Fazekas, a 2nd round selection of the Portland Trailblazers, who started 49 games and averaged 9.9 points and 6.9 rebounds, is back with us for the time being. He's also the only player we get from the pro leagues. Fair enough.

I'm not going to list all the D-League picks because these are one year rentals, not permanent players.

We pick 11th, second to last in the first round. I grab SG Kareem Rush, a 6th year vet, as our first selection. He played on the bench for the Heat last year and looks like a veritable star in the D-League.

Oh wait, it's a serpentine draft! Okay, that makes things easier. PG Seth Chambliss, who starred for the Timberjacks last year, is my second round pick, as he's far and away the best of the remaining PGs.

C Steve Wilkerson appears to be the best remaining rebounder, so he's our choice in the 3rd. SF Rodney White looks like the best remaining all-around SF, earning him a Cats uniform in the 4th.

I go defensive-stopper hunting in the 5th and PG Ben Evans barely beats out SG Dwayne Fein for the selection. Fein's still available in the 6th, but I grab super-rebounder who I somehow missed PF Brandon Hunter instead.

Fein lasts all the way to our pick in the 7th, so he's tabbed and 30 year PF Malik Allen gets the call in the 8th. SF Jack Sankes becomes a Cat in the 9th, followed by another 30 year old, C Loren Woods, in the 10th.

The Woods selection kicks off 10 straight picks of Cs. Wow, talk about a run on middle-men! PF Justin Williams is the last pick of the draft.

Anaheim Cats Lineup
PG Seth Chambliss (2 years)
SG Kareem Rush (6 years)
SF Rodney White (5 years)
PF Nick Fazekas (1 year)
C Steven Wilkerson (1 year)
6th Brandon Hunter (2 years)
7th Loren Woods (6 years)
8th Malik Allen (6 years)
9th Dwayne Fein (Rookie)
10th Jack Sankes (Rookie)
11th Ben Evans (Rookie)

I should've invested more in PG talent, it looks like, as we only have Chambliss and Evans who are slated to be PGs. Luckily there's PG Jarrius Jackson out there, a rookie from Texas Tech with textbook passing skills, to sign and make the 7th man.

I think we've got a pretty good shot at making some noise in the D-League, but only time will tell.

[boberot]

Wow, Iz.

I give you a ton of credit for sucking it up and taking the job in the D-league to keep this thing going.

I'm not sure I could have done it -- way to check the ego and move on.

I'll be actually more curious to hear a GM recounting their experience from the D-league perspective . . . .

Sucks for you personally, but I think the "narrative" benefits from this unfortunate twist.

:)

[Izulde]

Wow, Iz.

I give you a ton of credit for sucking it up and taking the job in the D-league to keep this thing going.

I'm not sure I could have done it -- way to check the ego and move on.

I'll be actually more curious to hear a GM recounting their experience from the D-league perspective . . . .

Sucks for you personally, but I think the "narrative" benefits from this unfortunate twist.

:)

Thanks :) Though honestly, I suspect the D-league isn't going to be anywhere near as exciting as the NBA, but we'll see what spins out.

[Izulde]

Random Salt n Pepa songs are going through my head, running simultaneously with "Cat's Cradle" and it's quite distracting.

It's almost as distracting as the fact that we don't play our first game down in the D-League until November 24th. So what I think I'm going to do is let November and December both zip on by so we actually have more games and statistics worth talking about.

My debut as the Cats GM kicks off with a commanding 95-57 rout of the Los Angeles Waves. Five of our players reach double-digit scoring, Daequan Cook, a 2nd round selection of the Orlando Magic and rookie the leader with 14 points off the bench. Seth Chambliss won Player of the Game with 13 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and a steal, though.

We also have Corey Brewer, Orlando's 1st round pick last season, on the team and he's our starting SF. It turns out to be a wonderful send-down for us as we reach 2-0 in a convincing 88-62 win keyed by Brewer's 27 points and 8 rebounds. Life in the D-League is fun for winning.

The Arkansas Rattlers give us all we can handle, but Seth Chambliss scores 22 points to give us a nailbiting 72-69 win and keep us undefeated on the very young season.

That finishes out for November and we open up December with our first loss on the year, 96-73 to the Mammoths in Austin, despite a double-double of 10 points and 16 rebounds from Steven Wilkerson.

No problem, as we rebound the next night with an 82-61 home victory over the Mammoths. Corey Brewer is a man among boys with 19 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists and 5 blocks. I hope Orlando never calls him back up for the rest of the season.

Fort Worth is the lone undefeated team in the D-League and they show us why in a 104-84 demolition that completely neutralizes Seth Chambliss's 21 points and 16 bench points from Brandon Hunter. The Colonials are one seriously good team and I expect they'll be major title contenders this year.

We split a double-header against Albuquerque, winning the front end 92-85 thanks to 21 points from Corey Brewer and a Steven Wilkerson double-double of 10 points and 19 rebounds, and dropping the second one by a close 89-83 line, despite Wilkerson's second straight double-double, this one for 16 points and 12 rebounds.

No need to worry though, as we bounce back again, this time 96-69 coaster over the Tulsa Tejanos. Sweet, sweet win. It's Corey Brewer again with 24 points and 9 rebounds, but free agent find Jarrius Jackson contributes 16 from subland. Even sweeter: We hold Alando Tucker to 6 points and he'd been averaging over 12 points a game coming in.

The Buckaroos are next to fall, bowing before us 81-71, Brewer the battering brewmaster with 22 points. Bakersfield loses to us as well, the 86-69 victory engineered by your friend and mine, Corey Brewer, with 25 points and 3 steals.

Fort Worth had run their record to 5-0 before losing a game and we hand the Colonials their second loss of the season, 76-64, on a balanced scoring attack highlighted by Steven Wilkerson's 16 points and 13 rebounds. We trounce the Tejanos in Tulsa the very next night, Brewer bombing Tucker's troops for 24 points and 7 rebounds. Nick Fazekas finally wakes up with a double-double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. He's really declined this year.

Our winning streak continues courtesy of Corey's cool 24 points in a 93-68 romp over Colorado, but major credit is due Nick Fazekas, Steven Wilkerson and Seth Chambliss, who doubled their pleasure in triple-time at 12 points and 11 rebounds, 15 points and 14 rebounds and 14 points and 11 assists respectively.

We celebrate the end of the 2008 calendar year with a 93-75 knockout of Bakersfield, Brewer the bruiser with 21 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks in earning his trillionth Player of the Game award.

We're the class of the entire D-league with a sterling 12-3 record, the Golden Birds of Albuquerque our next closest competitors in the West at 8-6. Dakota and Sioux Falls are tied atop the East, the Great Apes at 9-5, the Commodores at 10-6.

Tulsa and Fort Worth have really faltered since their hot starts and are now 7-8 and 7-5 respectively.

Corey Brewer is the main reason we're tops in the league, of course, ranking 2nd in ppg with 19.7 behind Tiago Splitter of Los Angeles, who's averaging an even 21 points. But Seth Chambliss is #8 with 13.3 points and tops in assists with 6.7. (Alando Tucker is an ironic #2 with 5.5). We also boast the second-best rebounder in Steven Wilkerson, who with 12.1 is behind only Splitter, who loves integers apparently, because he's averaging 13 boards even. By the way, Brewer's also tied for second in blocks per game, with 1.5, Ken Johnson of Idaho the category leader with 1.8.

Wilkerson, incidentally, is also tied for the league lead in double-doubles with 5.

On the surface world, otherwise known as the NBA, the Knicks are 14-16, 1.5 games behind the Atlantic-leading Toronto Raptors, who are 16-15. Bad news again for the East? Something like that.

Because there's only not only just five teams in the East with winning records, four of them are in the Central. The Atlanta Hawks lead the Southeast with a 12-16 mark. Talk about ugly.

Nine teams above .500 in the West, four of whom have single-digit losses after two months of play. The Rockets and the Suns look to be in a real dogfight for top team in the league, as Houston's 25-5 and Phoenix is 25-4.

Gilbert Arenas took his sub-30 point season average last year very personally and as a result, he's off to a flying start this season with a wizardly 32.4 points per game. A host of others are behind at some form of 29 and change.

The Raptors have a scary rebounding team in the early going, Greg Oden tied with Ben Wallace for the league lead at 13 boards a game, Chris Bosh forming a Toronto sandwich with 12.8 rebounds, just behind them.

Ronny Smith -did- win the starting PF spot for the Knicks, but then he broke his hand. He was doing okay, but not light-outs before his injury. After it, Joakim Noah shifted to PF and Ronny's fellow rookie, Rudy Braun, took over at C. Braun's shown flashes of something with 2 double-doubles in 13 starts, but he's got a long way to go.

Ben Gordon is naturally leading the team in scoring again, though his average is down somewhat with 23.8 points per game. Actually, it's way down considering he averaged 29.5 points per game in a Knicks uniform last year, but there's also much more talent around him, too.

Remember when I said Julius Austin was going to be a big-time scorer? Well, he's leading the rookies right now with 10.2 ppg, the lone rookie to be in double figures at present. Fellow Ute Kelvin Moody is looking like this class's most complete player, however, with 9.3 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.6 bpg and 0.5 spg and will probably win Rookie of the Year going away.

In other Utah Six news, Brandon Brooks is far and away the top PG, averaging 9.1 ppg and 6.0 assists per game, a full two assists on average higher than the second place rookie.

Brian Robertson and B.J. Whitehead are both down in the D-League with me. Robertson's a pretty decent all-around starting SF for the Fort Worth Colonials, though nothing spectacular.

Correction: B.J. Whitehead -was- down in the D-League with me. He averaged an impressive 14.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game in 12 starts with the Austin Mammoths, but he's been recalled to Houston and is currently the Rockets' 8th man. He's looked awful in the eight games he's played in so far, though and will probably get sent back down soon.

[Izulde]

Whatever happened to Kareem Rush, my 1st round D-League draft choice?

That's the question I'm asking myself as I suddenly realize he's not on the roster and never appeared in a game for us as far as I can tell.

He got signed by the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 3rd, 3 weeks before our first game. Nice work he's done off the bench, too, averaging 7.5 points so far with roughly 19 minutes a game.

The perils of being a D-League GM.

Oh well, we've obviously been playing fine without him.

Our first game of 2009 is a close one, but we eke out an 84-78 victory over Idaho due to Corey Brewer's 24 points and stay hot with wins on back-to-back nights over the Golden Birds and the Dakota Great Apes. It's all Corey Brewer in both games--24 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals versus Albuquerque and 30 points against Dakota. The Magic are stupid to keep him down here with us.

Of course, right after I say that, Brewer apparently gets called up by Orlando, because Kueth Flippen, a 2nd round rookie from the L.A. Clippers, is starting at PF our next game. Not that it matters, as we coast to a 96-76 victory over the Mammoths, Flippen scoring 21 and Brandon Hunter double-doubling off the bench of all places, with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Corey Brewer's not only up with Orlando, but he's starting at SF for the Magic. Hedo Turkoglu tore his knee tendon and I presume is out for a really long time, but I can't see the NBA injury list to find out how long he's gone for.

Brutal stretch coming up now that we're without Brewer, too. From the 13th to the 20th, we get two off days, the 15th and the 18th. Every other day that week, we're playing.

We handle the Rattlers 78-72 when Steven Wilkerson gets 16 points and 14 rebounds, but drop our first game in a long, long time, 90-85 to Dakota, despite another magnificient game of 20 points and 13 rebounds from Wilkerson. If the teams behind us are going to make their move, now's the time to do it.

But then we sweep the next doubleheader, beating Idaho 95-88 and punching Tulsa out 86-70. Nick Fazekas leads the charge in the Buckaroo victory with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, while four players with 15+ points gives us the win over the Tejanos, who are noticeably absent Alando Tucker.

A check of the NBA rosters reveals a devastated Knicks team. Darius Miles has a torn knee tendon, Andres Nocioni has a torn ACL, Ronny Smith is still out with a broken hand and Raef LaFrentz is bothered by a strained hamstring.

Acie Law is finally getting some minutes as the 7th man, while Alando Tucker has polevaulted to the 10th man spot and averaged 3 minutes in 2 games. Not much PT, but at least he's on the pro level.

I also realize Rodney White and Seth Chambliss, our starting backcourt, is no longer with us. Chambliss got signed by the Bucks and is the 7th man, while White got picked up the Clippers and is their 10th man.

Unfortunately, because of the slew of scrubs the NBA teams have sent down, we only have one spot left on our roster. I take advantage of the slot to sign 29 year old PG Carlos Arroyo, who's good enough to take over the starting PG spot and kick DaShaun Wood, the Clippers scrub, to 8th man.

Our new starting lineup looks like this:
PG Carlos Arroyo
SG Daequan Cook (Orlando Magic)
SF Kueth Flippen (L.A. Clippers)
PF Nick Fazekas (Portland Trailblazers)
C Steven Wilkerson

With this dramatic a lineup shakeup, I'm a little worried for how the rest of the season is going to turn out, but we win both games of the Colorado doubleheader, 88-84 in Colorado thanks to Steven Wilkerson's 14 points and 16 rebounds, 95-82 at home as all five starters scored at least 12 points, the biggest total coming from Joe Harris with 20 points. Who's Joe Harris, you ask? A 2nd round pick of the Portland Trailblazers from this year's draft who started at SF this game because of a leg injury to Kueth Flippen.

We end the month with 3 games in 4 days and win all three in blowouts. The first two are an Albuquerque doubleheader, a 99-71 home victory highlighted by Nick Fazekas's 24 points and another home win against the Golden Birds two days later, 91-69, Steven Wilkerson picking up a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Fazekas and Wilkerson tag-teamed Colorado the very next night, Nick with 22 points and 8 rebounds, Steven with 14 points and 10 assists to take out the Timberjacks 96-79. Daequan Cook also double-doubled in the month's final game with 11 points and 12 assists.

Want to know how dominant we are? So dominant that our 24-4 record is 7.5 games ahead in the West, the Bakersfield Otters our closest competition at 14-9, the same mark held by the East-leading Dakota Apes.

Carlos Arroyo has turned out to be a free-agent steal, as his 13.2 ppg average since coming to Anaheim ranks him 6th in the D-League. Matt Carroll of Idaho is the new scoring leader at 16.7. Arroyo also ranks tops in assists at 7.8, Bakersfield's Taurean Green #2 with 5.4 and is the only player in the D-League to average more than 2 steals a game at 2.2. Steven Wilkerson currently leads in rebounds (11.3) and is tops in double-doubles with 10. And to think he was a Tejanos reserve last season.

Up in the rarefied air of the NBA, the Knicks are staggering along with a 17-26 record and I'm starting to feel somewhat vindicated. All five of the East Conference teams with winning records play in the Central. Toronto leads the Atlantic at 22-22, while the Southeast is held by Atlanta at 18-24. Yeah, that's right, every team in the Central has a winning record and nobody else from either of the East's two divisions is above .500.

Ten teams in the West with winning records, the NBA's strongest division the Pacific, where the Sacramento Kings are division bottom-feeder with a 25-17 record. Phoenix and Houston are the lone two single-digit loss teams remaining. The defending champion Suns are 38-7, while the Houston Rockets are 35-9.

Gilbert Arenas is still the top scorer with 32.7 points per game, but Michael Redd and Allen Iverson are also over 30 at 30.5 and 30.2 respectively. Kobe Bryant is the last remaining 29er at 29.6.

Only Baron Davis and Chris Paul have double-digit assist averages and Baron trumps Paul by a considerable 12.1 to 10.8 margin. Andrew Bogut and Ben Wallace are deadlocked with 13 rebounds a piece on average on the boards board, while defending Defensive Player of the Year Andrei Kirilenko still reigns supreme as the Blockmaster at 4.2 blocks per game, the only player in the league averaging 4 or better rejections a contest.

Three players are averaging better than 2 steals a game, Allen Iverson and Ron Artest tied with 2.2 a piece, Gerald Wallace right behind at 2.1.

I can no longer track season double-doubles or triple-doubles, because it does it by career, not season. An annoying little bug has popped up, as well, because it lists Chris Bosh as the leader in double-doubles with 93, when it's actually Yao Ming with 101. Not a gamebreaker by any means, but a little disappointing.

No rookies in double-digit scoring, but Brandon Brooks, the player I most likely would've taken for the Knicks, leads in both average points and assists, with 9.8 and 6.1. His dishes margin is so huge that the next nearest contender, Matt Dickel, has 3.9. Kelvin Moody is tops in rookie rebounds at 7.8 and with 1.6 blocks per game is just behind the Lakers' Derrick Robinson, who leads with 1.7. Moody also has the most double-doubles of his class at present with 6. Robinson and Brooks are tied for second place with 4.

As for the other Utah Six, Julius Austin is Miami's starting SF and second in rookie scoring with 9.3 points per game. Rudy Braun is still the starting C for the Knicks because of Ronny Smith's injury and he's averaging an unremarkable 5.8 and 5.7 rebounds a game. He's also had just one more double-double, despite having 11 more starts than the last time we looked at him.

B.J. Whitehead appeared in 12 games with the Rockets and was ghastly, so he's back down in Austin as the starting PF for the Mammoths, averaging 13.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, good enough for 3rd in the D-League in scoring. Brian Robertson is averaging 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds a game, still the starting SF for the Colonials of Fort Worth.

[boberot]

Definitely an interesting perspective.

As brutal is it must be to plug-and-play different players seemingly every week, you are able to maintain a ridiculous level of dominance.

Perhaps a D-League title will open many doors for you back in the Association?

And I assume that you would jump at any opening just to get back in the Big Show?

[RedHawk00]

i admire your persistance, i hope it pays off with a good job, not one that you will immediately have to dump salary...

[Izulde]

boberot: You'd think it would, but don't forget, the D-League playoffs are one and done, not series, which makes it chancy. :) And yes, I'd take just about anything to get back up.

RedHawk00: Thanks, I hope it does too. :D I don't mind dumping salary if I have to. Gives me an excuse to do some trading.

[Izulde]

February commences with a doubleheader against Sioux Falls. We shockingly lose the first game 95-83 as everyone takes the night off on both ends of the floor, but we rout them 105-87 in the second game after Steven Wilkerson double-doubles with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Daequan Cook scores 21 and three bench players score double-digits, led by DaShaun Wood with 17.

A long break ensues before our next doubleheader and I'm worried about rust, but we nip Bakersfield 90-84 as Nick Fazekas has his best all-around game in my tenure with 15 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals and down Dakota 83-62 the next night behind Kueth Flippen's 20 points and 9 rebounds and 19 points and 7 rebounds from benchman Brandon Hunter.

We keep our perfect record against Tulsa the next game, destroying the Tejanos 98-82 despite the fact that Ronny Smith is rehabbing in the D-League. Carlos Arroyo secures the victory with a sizzling shooting showing good for 22 points.

During the All-Star break, we hammer the Timberjacks 99-64 as 6 Cats break double-digit scoring, all five starters, including Nick Fazekas with 10 points and 10 rebounds and 13 bench points from Brandon Hunter.

Much to my annoyance, I can't find the Rookies-Sophomores game box score, which means the same will likely hold true for the All-Star game.

Even more aggravating, we lose 89-86 to the Timberjacks to give us loss number 6 on the year and then proceed to have our first losing streak as we drop a game 83-80 to Bakersfield as our bench has been playing for absolute crap.

I cut Jack Sankes and sign 30 year old PG Milt Palacio, who takes over as the starting PG. It doesn't do any good though, as we lose our third game in a row, 80-72, to the Arkansas Rattlers. This despite five players in double-digit scoring and a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds from Nick Fazekas.

Despite the tailspin, we're still 5 games in front of the West Conference. Kueth Flippen is 7th in the D-League with a 13.2 ppg average. Carlos Arroyo still leads in apg, but just barely, as he's only averaging 6.1 apg now that he's lost his starting job to Palacio while he deals with back problems. Steven Wilkerson is down to 3rd in boards per game with 10.1 and is tied with Kris Lang of Tulsa for double-doubles with 11.

In the NBA, the Knicks are 21-36 and need just two more victories to beat last year's total. Heh. Still only 5 winning teams in the East and once again, it's all the Central Division teams. Toronto's still atop the Atlantic with a .500 record, while the defending East Conference champion Bobcats head up the South at 23-30.

Still 9 winning teams in the West, too and once again, the Pacific division has all winning teams, with the Clippers in the cellar at 32-25. Phoenix continues to burn the rest of the NBA with a sizzling 50-7 record.

Gilbert Arenas has yet to relinquish his scoring lead at 32.6 points per game, although Michael Redd is averaging 30.1 points, Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson not far behind at 29.9 and 29.3 respectively.

Brandon Brooks has broken through double-digit scoring at 10.2 ppg, but he's the only one there and he still has a sizeable lead in the rookie assists category with 6.6. Tough call right now whether Brandon Brooks or Kelvin Moody is the best rookie. Ronny Smith is charging hard too, now that he's recovered from his broken hand. Derrick Robinson and Julius Austin are definite darkhorses.

[boberot]

So, I guess this has turned into an unfortunately-titled dynasty, eh?

:D

My own enjoyment of the game is stalled by the fact that a drafted player does not appear on my roster, even though he's under contract and can be found using the "search" function on the far right. This is the second time I've had this exact same problem . . . .

:confused:


In the meantime, I'll enjoy the game vicariously here . . . .

[Izulde]

So, I guess this has turned into an unfortunately-titled dynasty, eh?

:D

My own enjoyment of the game is stalled by the fact that a drafted player does not appear on my roster, even though he's under contract and can be found using the "search" function on the far right. This is the second time I've had this exact same problem . . . .

:confused:


In the meantime, I'll enjoy the game vicariously here . . . .

That sucks. :( Did you post in the Tech Support forum about it over at WS?

[Izulde]

The three-game skid really has me nervous, because remember, the D-League playoffs is a one and done scenario.

But there's still more regular season basketball to be played and maybe we can work our funk out before then.

We finally cool off our losing streak with a 95-70 win over Los Angeles on a total team scoring effort and the best bench play we've had all year. 3 subs scored in double-digit figures - Joe Harris (10), Brandon Hunter (12), and Carlos Arroyo (11).

Unfortunately, we go right back to losing the next night, falling 78-66 to the Buckaroos, who have an absurdly short ench. Can't blame Kueth Flippen or Steven Wilkerson for the loss though, as Flippen double-doubled with 12 points and 12 rebounds and Wilkerson had a double-double himself, 12 points and 15 rebounds.

An important game against second-place Bakersfield was our next contest a week later and we destroy the Otters 92-68 as Joe Harris, Carlos Arroyo and Brandon Hunter each score 11 points off the bench, Steven Wilkerson grabs 18 boards and Milt Palacio dishes out 12 assists.

A new winning streak is born as we knock off Sioux Falls 96-80, Loren Woods and Jarrius Jackson the key bench men with 13 and 10 points respectively. We're suddenly getting a lot of value out of our reserves that we didn't before, but conversely, our starters aren't doing what they were earlier in the year either. Then again, we've also had a major shakeup in the starting five since then.

There's a chance for revenge against Idaho, as we draw a doubleheader against the Buckaroos for our next pair of games, but they beat us 83-82 and 76-64 despite 10 points and 12 rebounds from Steven Wilkerson in Game 1 and well, we frankly deserved to lose Game 2.

Another doubleheader, this time against Fort Worth. We split the Colonials, winning the first game 81-76 with five players in double-digit scoring, led by double-doubling Milt Palacio with 12 points and 10 assists, and losing the second one 82-73, as nobody really got in sync.

March ends on a happy, but frightening note, as we barely beat Bakersfield 78-77. Kueth Flippen was probably our best player on the floor, with 15 points and 8 rebounds. One trend I've noticed is that we haven't had the Player of the Game for a very, very long time and it's an area of concern.

The good news is, we're 34-12 and have clinched the regular-season D-League West Conference title, because with just four games left to play, there's no way Bakersfield can catch us at 7 games back.

Normally I'd review everything, but with only four games left, I may as well just roll out the rest of our regular season.

As it turns out, all of our remaining four against the Sea Dogs of Los Angeles, who have won just 10 games on the year.

Game 1: 93-80 Anaheim victory
Steven Wilkerson double-doubles with 12 points and 15 rebounds, all our starters save one scores 12+ points, Loren Woods comes out of nowhere to score 16 off the bench and Carlos Arroyo joins him in double-point sub land with 11.

Game 2: 92-77 Anaheim victory
17 points a piece from Nick Fazekas and Milt Palacio ensured the win, as all but one of our starters again scored 10+ points.

Game 3: 124-86 Anaheim victory
8 Cats in double figures, including all five starters. The breakdown:
PG Carlos Arroyo: 23 points, 8 assists and our first PotG in a while
SG Daequan Cook: 10 points
SF Kueth Flippen: 13 points
PF Nick Fazekas: 12 points
C Steven Wilkerson: 10 points, 9 rebounds
6th Brandon Hunter: 13 points, 7 rebounds
7th Jarrius Jackson: 16 points
8th Loren Woods: 10 points

Arroyo's performance has me tempted to cut Milt Palacio and after a moment's thought, I do and sign C DeSagana Diop, 7', 300 lbs, 26 years old and a 7 year veteran last seen playing for the Dallas Mavericks. He'll give us some more rebounding and defensive punch from the bench.

Game 4: 97-92 Anaheim victory
It was close, but we pulled out the Super Sweep behind 28 points from Carlos Arroyo, 21 rebounds from Steven Wilkerson and 12 and 14 respective bench points from Brandon Hunter and Jarrius Jackson.

And so we fast-forward to the eve of the playoffs.

On the NBA level, the East Conference finished with just 5 .+500 teams and the defending East Conference champion Charlotte Bobcats once again won the Southeast with a 40-42 record. The Raptors saved face in the Atlantic, capturing the division with a 42-40 mark.

In the West, 8 teams were over .500, including every one of the Pacific teams. Low man on the totem pole? The 43-39 Golden State Warriors. Phoenix once again lost its quest for a single-digit loss season, but the Suns still impressed at 70-12 and look primed to repeat as NBA champions.

The Dakota Great Apes won the D-League Eastern Conference at 30-20 and the Austin Mammoths were right behind at 29-21, making it the second straight year those two teams have been the East's best. We, of course, won the West, by an easy 9 games.

Because of our repeated shuffling at PG, the only Cat among the league leaders was Steven Wilkerson, second in rebounds per game at 10.2 and third in double-doubles with 14.

Gilbert Arenas won the scoring title with 31 points a game even, but his Wizards were the worst team in the East, winning just 22 games. Michael Redd and Allen Iverson came close, but fell just short of 30 per game at 29.6 and 29.2 points respectively.

Baron Davis of Golden State and Chris Paul of New Orleans were the only players to reach double-digit assist averages at 11.3 and 10.8 respectively. Chris Bosh won the rebounding title with 13.7 boards a game, but Andrew Bogut was close behind at 13.2.

Andrei Kirilenko fell just short in his quest to repeat for 4 blocks a game average at 3.9, but he did win the blocks title again, Josh Smith joining him in the 3 blocks per game category at 3 even. Allen Iverson averaged 2.1 steals a game, tied with Ron Artest for the lead in ballthievery. Gerald Wallace was just behind at 2 robberies a game.

Two rookies broke double-digit scoring averages, Brandon Brooks with 11.4 points a game and Ronny Smith with 10.3. Brooks also destroyed all competition for rookie assist leaders with a 7.2 average. Matt Dickel was a very distant second place at 3.5 assists per game. First-year boards per game went to Kelvin Moody with 7.3, Ronny Smith the silver medalist at 6.5 per game. Smith really recovered from his injury and went on to have a nice season it looks like.

Moody also took the blocks title at 1.8, though Derrick Robinson nipped his heels with 1.7 rejections a game and Julius Austin was the only rookie to average a steal a game, with 1.1.

Brooks, as you might expect, won the double-doubles rookie race with 13, Kelvin Moody in second place with 9.

Oh yes, that reminds me. The Knicks finished 26-66, a scant four-game improvement over my year, despite being much more talented. Unfortunately, the bastard who replaced me has a legitimate excuse with the rash of serious injuries.

One more update to make.

The Utah Six
PG Brandon Brooks (Portland Trailblazers)
-If he doesn't win Rookie of the Year, there's no justice in the world. His class's top scorer, assistant, and doubles-doubles man, he's quickly establishing himself as a bona fide NBA PG. And to think he's the guy I would've taken. Started 78 games. Rookie All-Star starter.

PF Kelvin Moody (Minnesota Timberwolves)
-Started all 82 games, but out of position at SF, which may have accounted for his somewhat disappointing rookie campaign relative to the hype surrounding him. I'm really looking for him to have a breakout season next year. Rookie All-Star starter.

SF Julius Austin (Miami Heat)
8.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, to report the stats not yet seen. It doesn't look like he's going to be a legitimate offensive weapon. What he is, however, is a dominant defensive presence who should only get better as time goes on. Played in 70 games and started 56. Rookie All-Star starter.

C Rudy Braun (New York Knicks)
5.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.4 bpg. Unexpectedly won the Knicks' starting C spot for much of the season and played in 78 games, starting 59. His presence allowed New York to shift Joakim Noah out to SF and create an impressively large lineup. (Noah - 6'11" 230, Smith - 6'9" 216 Braun - 7'5" 301) Unfortunately, I just don't think he has the potential to go with his size and fully expect to see him back to the bench once the Knicks find a better option in the middle. Rookie All-Star starter.

SF Brian Robertson (Dallas Mavericks)
-Made 8 game appearances with the big club, yet still managed to start all 50 games with Fort Worth, averaging 7.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals per game with the Colonials. Smart, disciplined player, but ultimately short on talent for the NBA level.

PF B.J. Whitehead (Houston Rockets)
-Averaged 3.8 points and 3.2 rebounds in 10.3 minutes in 24 games for the Rockets and 11.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.5 blocks and 0.8 steals a game in 37 starts for the Austin Mammoths. As far as I'm concerned, he's got some legitimate potential, but he'll probably never get a real shot in Houston. If I get back up to the NBA this next season, I'll see if I can grab him.

Next up, the postseasons.

[Izulde]

I can't sleep and I'm eager to see if I can get a job at the NBA level again.

So here's the playoffs coming at you.

Unless hell freezes over, the Phoenix Suns are going to repeat as NBA champions (which, incidentally, -would- mean a dearth of sunfire).

I'm not happy about the playoff matchup. We draw the Idaho Buckaroos in the first round. That's right, the same Idaho squad that beat us like 3 or 4 times in the regular season. Worst.draw.ever.

Interesting things out in the East on the NBA level, namely the Chicago Bulls as the #1 seed vs the #8 seed Boston Celtics. Milwaukee's the #2 seed, which is a little shocking, considering how bad Bucks' basketball is IRL. Then again, it's the East, Michael Redd is a superstar in this universe and Andrew Bogut is developing into a quality center.

As for the Bulls, the backcourt of Raymond Felton and Kirk Hinrich is a terrific one and, Eddy Curry shockingly lost his starting job to David Lee. Yes, that David Lee, the former Knick, who signed a fat contract in free agency to stay with the Bulls. And I mean a 6 year, $44.4 mill. deal. You're welcome, David! I made you, don't forget!

Our first-round matchup against the Buckaroos comes up while the first round of the NBA playoffs is ongoing.

Things break out to a bad start as we're down 25-19 at the end of the first quarter and I'm swearing like crazy in the skybox. We rally back in a big way in the second quarter, outscoring them 21-10 with some furious defense to be up 40-35 at the half. The Buckaroos come out shooting in the third and take it 22-17. Tied at 57-all going into the fourth quarter.

The final period of play is a ferocious back-and-forth, with multiple ties and lead changes. We go up by 1 with 10 seconds left on the clock after a layup by Kueth Flippen.

Idaho's got the ball for one last play. Two crisp passes later, Buckaroo PF/C Matt Stidham shoots a jumper as time expires..... and it goes in.

77-76 loss.

I want to effing break something now. I -knew- Idaho was a horrible matchup for us! What a wretched way to end the season.

Nick Fazekas double-doubled with 14 points and 10 rebounds, but Steven Wilkerson had a horrible shooting night and our starters just got pulverized by the Buckaroo starting five.

Anyway, on the NBA side, Chicago sweeps Boston, Toronto sweeps Detroit and Denver stuns the world by sweeping San Antonio. Milwaukee, Phoenix, the Lakers and Rockets all win in 5 while Charlotte confounds Cleveland again, winning in 7 games to give King James more nightmares of playoff failure.

Hard to blame Lebron though. He averaged 27.4 points a game in the series. Mike Miller just hasn't been the second option the Cavs hoped for when they traded for him.

Chicago -should- be able to beat Charlotte in the quarterfinals, but we all know what the Bobcats are capable of in the postseason. Toronto/Milwaukee is an intriguing matchup, though I have to give the Raptors the nod, with Chris Bosh (24.3 ppg, 11.5 rpg in the 1st round), Andrea Bargnani (21 points, 7.8 rpg) and Greg Oden (15.3 ppg, 12 rpg) all deadly in the first round. Oh yeah, Gerry McNamara, my old Syracuse flame, is averaging a clutch 9.8 points in the playoffs after averaging less than 4 points in the two regular seasons.

Yes, I have a really bad habit of getting attached to certain college players because of March Madness magic, McNamara and Noah being the most recent examples. Stephen Curry from this IRL year.

Phoenix will crush Denver and the Rockets should be able to take out the Lakers with ease over in the West.

The Raptors prove me correct by spanking the Bucks in five games. Charlotte works their usual postseason potency in surprising the Bulls in six. Chicago fans have to be absolutely livid by now. The Lakers beat the Rockets in seven after Andrew Bynum of all people goes bananas in Game 7 with 25 points, 24 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks.

But the biggest shock comes in Suns vs. Nuggets, with Denver upsetting the defending NBA champion Suns in six games. Credit Mssrs. Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony for the stunning conquest, who combined to average in excess of 50 points a game for the series between just the two of them.

I have to think there's no way Cinderella Charlotte can become Princess of the Playoffs Ball two years in a row. Toronto is just too damned good. On the other side, the Lakers and Nuggets is a really tough matchup. AI and Carmelo are a deadly scoring combo, but Kobe Bryant is a firebreather in his own right and if a couple of the other Lakers have good nights, they're capable of matching Denver pretty easily.

The Charlotte Bobcats win the Eastern Conference title again with a repeat 40-42 regular season record, upsetting the Raptors in five games. Really, this is getting ridiculous. But great team defense, a balanced offense and a deeper bench beat out the brilliant Raptors starters, who were undone by a horrible set of subs.

Denver takes the Lakers to the full seven games before the Nuggets come out on top. The combo of Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony was just too much for the Lakers in the end, especially since the Nuggets keyed in on stopping Kobe Bryant as much as possible and the rest of the team couldn't pick up the slack.

The Nuggets had damned well better win the title or I'll be seriously annoyed.

They do, beating the Bobcats handily in 5. Allen Iverson was simply sensational, averaging 34.2 points a game in the NBA Finals. Well-deserved title, AI and he's definitely the Playoff MVP.

NBA Lottery
1. Washington (-)
2. Memphis (-)
3. Seattle (+4)
4. New Jersey (-1)
5. New Orleans (-1)
6. New York (-1)
7. Minnesota (-1)
8. Dallas (-)
9. Orlando (-)
10. Atlanta (-)
11. Miami (-)
12. Philadelphia (-)
13. Utah (-)
14. Seattle (-)

Nice win for the Supersonics, who have a consolation of missing the playoffs in two lottery picks, including a top 3 pick, which is the pick that would've been the Knicks if I hadn't traded it away for the right to draft Joakim Noah.

...Maybe it's a good thing I was fired after all.

[MacroGuru]

So the question is...

Any job offers for the bigs yet?

[Izulde]

So the question is...

Any job offers for the bigs yet?

We'll find out next post, which I'm writing up now.

[Izulde]

2008 NBA Awards
MVP
Chris Bosh - Toronto Raptors - 27.1 ppg, 13.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 bpg, 0.9 spg
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - 12.3 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 3.9 bpg, 1.6 spg
Rookie of the Year
Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves - 9.7 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.8 bpg, 0.5 spg
6th Man of the Year
Sean May - Charlotte Bobcats - 10.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 apg, 0.4 bpg, 0.7 spg
Coach of the Year
Mike D'Antoni - Phoenix Suns

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Michael Redd - Milwaukee Bucks
SF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
PF Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
C Chris Bosh - Toronto Raptors

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Mike Bibby - Sacramento Kings
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Paul Pierce - Boston Celtics
PF Kevin Garnett - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns
SG Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets
SF Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets
PF Elton Brand - Los Angeles Clippers
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
C Ben Wallace - Chicago Bulls

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Baron Davis - Golden State Warriors
SG Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Kevin Garnett - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Brandon Brooks - Portland Trailblazers*
SG Donnell Rosen - New Orleans Hornets
SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat*
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves*
C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks*

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Matt Dickel - Denver Nuggets
SG Kevin Logan - Milwaukee Bucks
SF Travann Parris - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Derrick Robinson - Los Angeles Lakers
C Fernando Patterson - Atlanta Hawks

Brooks got robbed of Rookie of the Year, but it's nice to see all of the Utah 6 who were on NBA rosters all year make the Rookie 1st Team.

Ray Ginger gives me a call after the awards are announced to chat about the season. I have no problems telling him I think I did an excellent job. He agrees and offers me the chance to stay on for another year or quit.

Naturally, I choose to resign, in hopes of finding an NBA job.

Luckily, there's an opening up in the big-time.

...With the New Jersey Nets.

That'd be interesting if I could get it, in terms of them versus the Knicks. It's not a job I necessarily relish, nor a team I have any fondness for, but it's an NBA gig and one with a less draconian owner than in New York.

Now if I can just get the job...

I should have a shot at it, because the Nets won 29 games in 2007 and slid to 23 wins this past season.

So I call up New Jersey's owner and inquire about it. He answers, "Sorry, you're not on our shortlist right now. Good luck finding a job elsewhere."

@$%!$%$%!$%!%$!%$!%$!^#%^%#^!%!!!!!

Asshat.

I really don't want to do another season down in the D-League.

Ugh!

Oh well, time to sit back and think it over some more.

[boberot]

Time to invoke your omnipotent powers in commish mode, no?

Maybe you could penalize yourself by taking the worst available NBA job -- but then again, that could very well be the Knicks.




or whoever has Raef LaFrentz's contract

:)

[Izulde]

Time to invoke your omnipotent powers in commish mode, no?

Maybe you could penalize yourself by taking the worst available NBA job -- but then again, that could very well be the Knicks.




or whoever has Raef LaFrentz's contract

:)

:D Unfortunately, I can't commish myself into a job in single-player mode or I would make myself the Nets GM.

So it'll be another year in the D-Leagues and hoping someone hires me after that.

[Izulde]

So Anaheim won't take me back because I voluntarily left the job.

After reviewing the other D-League openings (Dakota beat Idaho for the title last year, by the way, meaning we lost to the Runners-Up), I call up the Austin Mammoths owner and Michael Masters readily agrees to take me on.

I'm shooting for the playoffs again, though I weirdly get a call from Cliff Gross, who's the Celtics owner, asking how we'll do and what kind of salary cap we'll be under. Evidently he thought he was calling his GM.

Mike Montgomery is kicked out as the Knicks head coach and Larry Brown is heading them up again after signing a 2 year, $5.5 mill. deal. Heh. They bring in a whole new coaching staff, in fact.

Much as in Anaheim, I leave the coaching staff alone.

The NBA Mock Draft has a number of schools with 2 or 3 prospects, but nothing like the absurd numbers of last year's Utah Six, which I'm quite happy about. It's actually looking like a really weak class overall and I strongly disagree with the mock draft's rankings. My own personal opinion is that the best player and the one I'll be following, is 21 year old PF Federico Gomez out of Argentina. He's projected to go 11 to the Heat and if that happens, they'll have a real steal on their hands. PG Kevin Carter from Indiana, a 23 year old senior, looks really good too.

2009 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. SG Rob Robinson - Washington Wizards (The projected #1 in MD)

Ironically enough, the analysts ripped the pick and suggested they should've taken Carter.

2. C Narcyz Malinomowski - Memphis Grizzlies
3. PF Nate Bonner - Seattle Seahawks
4. PG Kevin Carter - New Jersey Nets

Heh, that's exactly the player I'd have taken if I were given the Nets GM job. New Jersey just got themselves arguably the best player in the draft.

5. C Marcel Mance - New Orleans Hornets
6. PG Johnny Willias - New York Knicks
7. PG Major Drayton - Minnesota Timberwolves
8. C Daniel Wilder - Dallas Mavericks
9. SG Mike Tice - Orlando Magic
10. C Jayson Alexander - Atlanta Hawks
11. PF T.J. Roberts - Miami Heat
12. PG Mikhel Zukauskas - Philadelphia 76ers
13. PG John Aylsworth - Utah Jazz
14. PG Zelipe Gama - Seattle Supersonics
15. SG Josh Amaker - Charlotte Bobcats
16. PF Federico Gomez - Boston Celtics

Irony abounds. My favorite team takes the player I think will be one of the biggest impacts of this draft.

17. PF Patrick Pastner - Indiana Pacers
18. PF Mike Patterson - Toronto Raptors

They'd been talking about Patterson for like 10 or 11 picks, so he really bombed from where he was expected to go.

19. C Hayward Voskuhl - New York Knicks
20. PG Gabe Rosen - Los Angeles Clippers
21. PF Karim Webber - Detroit Pistons
22. PG Cherokee Waterman - Cleveland Cavaliers (Ironically from Duke).
23. SF Donte Whiting - Denver Nuggets
24. C Tremaine Mouton - Milwaukee Bucks
25. C Ashley Davis - Sacramento Kings
26. SF J.J. Tucker - Chicago Bulls
27. C Kenneth Holland - San Antonio Spurs
28. SF Julian Wadley - Los Angeles Lakers
29. PG Mackel Greenleaf - Houston Rockets
30. SF David Anderson - Phoenix Suns

A lot of old guy changes in free agency, though I'm amused to see Steve Francis sign with Detroit for 2 years, $3.1 mill. Talk about coming down from the rarefied heights of $20 mill. a year to a lousy $1.55 mill. a year.

But that's not the biggest brow-raiser.

Starbury signs with Atlanta for 2 years and $6.68 mill.

Wally Sczierbiak goes to Phoenix for 5 years and $32.2 mill as the Suns try to get their title back. Mike Bibby inks with the Bulls for $5.5 mill. this season, setting off a rash of suicide watches in Sacramento. Rasheed Wallace joins the Lakers for 4 years and $24.7 mill, while Darko hooks up with Orlando for 4 years and $26 mill after having been a half-time starter at C for the Spurs for two years.

Chicago has to be considered the overwhelming favorites in the East after signing Bibby, by the way. They just added another 25-27 points a game and the guy who's been the All-NBA 2nd Team PG the last two seasons.

The D-League draft is up next, but I'll do that later.

What a drastically different NBA landscape this is turning into.

[Izulde]

We both know that I shouldn't be here
This is wrong
And baby it's killing you, it's killing me
Both of us tryin' to be strong
I've got somewhere else to be

But there isn't someone else who loves me, not in New Jersey anyway, so here I am in Austin while some jerk heads up the Nets job that should've been mine. I shouldn't be here and this is wrong indeed.

On the other hand, it's 98 degrees in Austin a lot more often than in Jersey and I love hot weather, so it's not all bad.

In any event, D-League draft time! I'm going to try and assemble a lot of last year's Anaheim roster if I can, as it was pretty successful. Or should I say, the initial roster, because we changed a lot over the year.

Oh look, the C's feed the Mammoths. That makes me feel a little more warm and fuzzy inside, particularly since we've got SG Nick Sanders, a 2nd round Celtics rookie, as our lone send-down. Not a bad player for this level, though I wouldn't consider him dynamite or anything.

Unlike Anaheim last year, where I was last/first, I'm 6th/7th this season in the draft. Ugh, I hate that spot. I'd rather be at the tail-ends, because I have a better idea of how things are going to shake out. Oh well, have to play the middling hand I've been dealt.

I grab 23 year old SF Jared Dudley with our 1st round pick. He's the best scorer left and he wasn't re-signed by the Lakers, so hopefully he'll stick aroud long enough to be a star for us.

Seth Chambliss, our superstar PG from a year ago, is in Round 2 and what's interesting is his stats are listed for the Tejanos, not the Cats, presumably because the Bucks signed him. Still, I'm going to pass on him and hope he's around for the 3rd, as there's a lot better rated PGs still there. Instead, I take 30 year old C Ken Johnson. Yes, Steven Wilkerson is still available, but Johnson looks like a stronger defensive presence.

PG Seth Chambliss is still there in the 3rd, so I quickly snap him up. He was too good for me last year in Anaheim to risk losing him out to anyone else.

I take PF Jabari Coulibaly in the 4th, a 24 year old rookie who looked great in limited minutes for the Rattlers last year and who I think can break out as a starter this season in Austin.

29 year old SG Matt Caroll is the 5th round selection to make sure we have another scoring option to pair with Dudley and Chambliss.

You can never have too many passers, so PG Larry Gilbert gets the call in the 6th. The 27 year old has great ball-handling skills and showed signs of scoring touch the last two seasons with the Goldenbirds and Timberjacks respectively.

C Aaron Gray has upside and I loved watching him play for Pitt in college, so he's my 7th round selection. This means the end of Steven Wilkerson playing for me, but that's okay. Gray's much more meaningful personally and besides, I have an addiction to centers 7 feet+ tall.

I'm pleased to see PF Brandon Hunter, who was a supersub for me last year in Anaheim, still available in the 8th, so I take him.

The Mammoths get a little international flavor in the 9th round, when we take 24 year old Lithuanian SG Renaldas Seibutus, who was a good sub last year for the Commodores and who should fulfill the same role for us this season in Austin.

Steven Wilkerson finally goes with the last pick in the 9th round, to the Bakersfield Otters, kicking off a run of 6 Cs in 7 picks. We end that streak by taking SF Rodney White as our final draftee, another former Cat who showed flashes of something last season.

No need to sign a 12th man as we get SG Keith Davis, drafted in the 1st round last year by the Celtics. He's been a major bust, so major that he's currently the 12th man in the Mammoths' rotation, though to be honest, he looks better than that.

2009 Austin Mammoths Opening Lineup
PG Nick Sanders
SG Matt Carroll
SF Jared Dudley
PF Brandon Hunter
C Ken Johnson
6th Seth Chambliss (PG/SG)
7th Larry Gilbert (PG/SG)
8th Rodney White (SG/SF/PF)
9th Renaldas Seibutus (PG/SG/SF)
10th Aaron Gray (PF/C)
11th Jabari Couibaly (SF/PF/C)
12th Keith Davis (SG/SF)

The overall impression I get is that this team is a lot stronger than even my dominant squad in Anaheim last year, but of course, a team that looks strong on paper isn't necessarily the best team in the D-League, especially not with the predatory NBA teams always circling overhead, ready to swoop up the top talent.

Steven Wilkerson is the starting C in Bakersfield, by the way. Anaheim looks absolutely horrible this year. I anticipate a slide back to mediocrity or worse for the Cats this season.

[boberot]

Is it even possible for an NBA job to open up midseason that you might snag?

I cant say I've seen it happen personally in the few seasons I've played.

Just curious . . . .

[Izulde]

Is it even possible for an NBA job to open up midseason that you might snag?

I cant say I've seen it happen personally in the few seasons I've played.

Just curious . . . .

Sadly, no.

[Izulde]

By the time of the season opener, we've had a shuffle in the starting five to:

PG Mackel Greenleaf (Houston's 1st round pick this year)
SG Matt Carroll
SF Keith Davis
PF Rodney White
C Ken Johnson

Johnson erupts for 18 points, 24 rebounds, 2 steals and 3 blocks in our opening 93-65 victory over Albuquerque to take Player of the Game, but Brandon Hunter, angered at the demotion, double-doubled with 20 points and 11 rebounds from the bench.

B.J. Whitehead, yes, -that- B.J. Whitehead, the Utah Sixer, comes on board in Game 2 and takes over as the starting PF, but it's Mackel Greenleaf who provides the highlights with 19 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds in the 78-66 triumph over the Colonials.

We get a back-to-back doubleheader with my old team, the Anaheim Cats, to begin December and my predictions of a weakened Anaheim team prove correct as we sweep them 96-70 and 93-83. Game 1 featured 20 bench points and 8 rebounds from Brandon Hunter, while a balanced scoring attack, led by 17 points from keith Davis, de-clawed the Cats in Game 2.

Our four game-win streak came to a painfully screeching end in a discordant duo of back-to-back losses. Arkansas topped us 77-69, while Tulsa beat us in a 102-96 shootout.

Dakota's a delightful doubleheader when we beat them 76-72 and 76-67. Keith Davis, now at SG, leads all scorers in the first game with 14 points, while B.J. Whitehead is first among Mammoths with 16 points in the second.

The joy of victory turns to the bitterness of defeat as we lose 83-76 to Sioux Falls, making it our third straight game of exactly 76 points.

We get the Commodores again the next game and drop a 92-90 heartbreaker, despite a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds from Brandon Hunter on the bench. Next night, even more demoralizing result: 90-76 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Waves despite 20 points from Rodney White.

I'm not sure what's wrong with this team or how to snap it out of the three-game losing streak we're in, but if this goes on much longer, I'll have to make some adjustments.

Revenge against the Waves, an 88-85 heartstopper keyed by Keith Davis's 19 points.

Two days later, another aggravating loss by a single point to, of course, Sioux Falls. 76 to bleeping 75. I'm so disgusted I don't even want to look at the box score the next morning.

Another close game to end December, this time we the victors 88-86 over the Buckaroos as Aaron Gray comes out of nowhere to score 22 points from the bench.

And so, at year's end, we're 8-6, in 3rd place in the D-League East, four games back of those Sioux Falls bastards. We're only half a game out of second place, which is, of course, occupied by the Tejanos.

I appear to have been right about Anaheim, as the Cats are wallowing near the cellar in the West at 5-10.

Ken Johnson is tied for 4th in rebounds at 9.7 with Steven Wilkerson, whose Otters are in 1st place in the West. I'm kicking myself now for not going and getting Wilkerson back, who was a steady, consistent player in Anaheim and who has done much the same in Bakersfield, with 4 double-doubles already.

On the other hand, Johnson's also second in blocks per game with 2.5.

Forget about the NBA. We're so damned middling right now, I won't ever get a chance to sniff it anyway. I'll provide an update of NBA standings and leaders next time, after I race through another two months.

[Izulde]

So really, I'm at a loss as to what to do to try and fix this team. We don't appear to be really weak in any specific area, other than a lack of consistency. On the other hand, we don't really have any good inside scorers either, so I sign C Jarron Collins out of free agency to try and give us a boost in that area. The 31 year old played in 2007 and 2008 with the Utah Jazz as a respectable benchman and I think it's time he made his D-league debut.

He slots in as our new 8th man and our first big man off the bench. I hope it portends good things.

Results are initially promising as we beat Bakersfield 95-85 and Albuquerque 87-70 on consecutive nights for our first games in the new year. The Otters go down to six Mammoths in double-digit scoring, B.J. Whitehead the man of the match with a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds. Whitehead also trips up the Golden Birds for 19 points, conspiring with Kenneth Holland, our new starting C, who double-doubled with 12 points and 12 rebounds. Holland was the Spurs first round pick in the draft and San Antonio apparently decided he needed more seasoning. Fine by us.

Colorado goes down 90-73 the next game as Nick Sanders scores 18 points from the bench and B.J. Whitehead double-doubles with 11 points and 10 rebounds. The Utah Sixer is really starting to show signs of a quality player in a Mammoths uniform.

Our win streak and my enhanced happiness continues with back-to-back wins over Anaheim (93-86) and Los Angeles (92-75). Seth Chambliss, who finally wrestled away the starting PG spot, lit the Cats up for 15 points, 11 assists and 6 rebounds, Ken Johnson his second man with 14 points and 8 boards from the bench. The Waves were primarily crashed by Renaladas Seibutis, who scored 14 for the second unit and who's really been hot lately.

Oh, how sweet is! Austin 82 Sioux Falls 76. Seth Chambliss double-doubles with 15 points and 13 assists, Ken Johnson doing likewise with 12 points and 13 rebounds as he continues to knife through opposing subs. Remind me to send a thank-you note to the Spurs for sending me Kenneth Holland.

Again the Otters go down, 96-89, as once again six Mammoths hit double-digit points, the key player Kenneth Holland with 13 points and 10 rebounds. I'd like to say it was my Jarron Collins signing that jump-started this amazing win streak, but it'd be a lie, as Collins as been chained to the end of the bench after his first couple games. It's really been the gift from San Antonio and the coach's finally wising up and starting my boy Seth Chambliss at the point that's done it.

A critical doubleheader against Tulsa is up next and of course we drop both ends to the Tejanos, 81-75 and 96-92. :mad: Seth Chambliss scored 20 in Game 1 and Kenneth Holland had 14 points and 12 rebounds in Game 2, but we fell just short both nights. Irritating.

After a nice, long rest, we get back on track with a 104-71 blowout of Colorado as six Mammoths score double-digits, the real Timberjack-slayer in the form of Nick Sanders, who scored a dizzying 17 bench points.

The reserves carry us again in an 87-76 victory over Arkansas, Mackel Greenleaf and Renaldas Seibutis with 10 points a piece, Ken Johnson topping them by a bucket for 12. At least we're a deep squad.

January ends with an infuriating 91-84 loss to Idaho. The Buckaroos continue to be my bane in the D-League as our bench, which played so wonderfully last game, takes the night off in this contest.

So where has our great play put us? Why, still in third place at 16-10! Just one stinking game away from the co-leaders Sioux Falls and Tulsa, but only a single game in front of Arkansas. Yeah, the D-League East is that tight this year.

Not so close in the West, where Idaho's 16-10 record is good enough for first place, the Sea Dogs of Los Angeles (I accidentally called them the Waves earlier) half a game back. Anaheim, much to my smug satisfaction, is last at 9-19.

I said I'd do two months in this update so onward we go, despite the fact that the mosquitos biting me are annoying me even more than our still being in third place. Thanks, alkie brother, for leaving the bloody door open all day even though I told you to just turn on the air conditioning and shut the door! :mad:

GOD DAMN IT!

A doubleheader to open the short month to Bakersfield and the Otters beat us twice! 88-68 and 108-100. We all sucked in the first game, but in the second, Seth Chambliss had 21 points and 10 assists and Nick Sanders, Renaladas Seibutis and Brandon Hunter all scored 10+ points from the bench and we -still- freaking lost!

Here's a little more salt in the wounds. Oh wait, make that a giant freaking heap right in the bloody raw... 93-69 loss to the Rattlers. We're now in fourth place.

I react by firing my entire coaching staff.

Goodbye Quin Snyder, Roy Rogers, Scott Faust and Francis Gorman.

Say hello to Jeff Van Gundy, welcome back as the 1st assistant Quin Snyder, Dave Hanners and John Kuester. Sorry you have to slum it here in the D-Leagues, Mr. Van Gundy, but if you have to do it, then so do I!

The ship's righted 99-82 over Colorado, but the Timberjacks aren't a good team. Nonetheless, Rodney White scores 22 points and dishes out 8 assists to get us the victory.

Oh yeah, the first starting 5 of the new regime.

PG Mackel Greenleaf
SG Keith Davis
SF Rodney White
PF B.J. Whitehead
C Brandon Hunter

Why Hunter? Because Kenneth Holland is nursing a sprained toe.

100-75 win over Sioux Falls and all of a sudden, I'm looking like a genius for changing up the staff. Keith Davis sets a team high with 29 points and B.J. Whitehead is right behind with 26 points as people are absolutely flourishing in Jeff Van Gundy's system. Oh yeah, Aaron Gray scored 12 points off the bench.

The easy victories keep coming as we smash the Colonials of Fort Worthless 97-59 on Keith Davis's 23 points. Aaron Gray contributes 12 from the bench again but Renaldas Seibutis betters him with 15 points.

Another big doubleheader is up next....and we win both! 92-80 over Fort Worth and most importantly, 100-83 over Tulsa!!!! Keith Davis continues his otherworldly takeover with 29 points in Game 1 and B.J. Whitehead joins the 20 point club with exactly that, 20. Seven Mammoths hit double-digit scoring to topple the Tejanos, our team leader in scoring once again Keith Davis, albeit with a more modest 17. Nick Sanders, Larry Gilbert and Brandon Hunter were our double-digit benchmen with 11, 10 and 10 points respectively. B.J. Whitehead double-doubled with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

That's our final game of the month and with it, we've pole-vaulted back into third with a 21-13 record, 1.5 games behind Sioux Falls and a full game behind the Arkansas Rattlers. On the plus side, we're a game and a half up on Tulsa, thanks to just beating them.

It's Bakersfield and Idaho fighting for top seed in the West, the Otters a half-game over the Buckaroos right now.

Despite Keith Davis's torrential shooting since Jeff Van Gundy's hiring, he's only up to 11.1 ppg average. But on the other hand, Mackel Greenleaf is second in assists per game with 5.6.

Moving on to the NBA (finally, no doubt some of you are saying), it's a shocking year in the East, as seven teams have .+500 records, including an actual winning team atop the Southeast with a 29-25 mark. What isn't surprising is that it's the Charlotte Bobcats on top, who have had a stranglehold on that division for the entireity of this universe.

As expected, the Chicago Bulls currently lead the East with a 40-14 record, though the Raptors are close behind at 39-17. Well, close behind in wins, anyway.

Schadenfreude moment: The New York Knicks are 17-40. New Jersey, much to my disgruntlement, is a respectable 28-29.

Over in the West, it's the same old song of Houston and Phoenix, the Rockets 48-9, the Suns 44-13. The conference overall is down this year, with seven teams holding winning records, an astonishing parity with the East. Even more curious, Phoenix is the only team in the Pacific with a record above .500. Second-place belongs to the Lakers, who are 24-31.

Bizzare NBA indeed.

Michael Redd leads the NBA with 33 points a game, but King James is averaging 32.1 and Dwayne Wade is in the 30+ club with 30.6.

Steve Nash and Baron Davis are the only two players with double-digit assist averages right now, with 10.3 and 10 even respectively. Greg Oden tops the league in boards per game with an even 14. Your friend and mine Andrei Kirilenko continues to be the only man in the NBA who averages 4 blocks a game with 4.1. Allen Iverson and Gerald Wallace are the top ballthieves with 2.2 steals per game, followed by Ron Artest with a 2, that like a lot of stats right now, is even.

All in all, I'd say we're playing extremely well right now.

But an ominious thing happened as February drew to a close.

Seth Chambliss was once again signed by an NBA team.

[Izulde]

Apparently NBA trades are showing up now again, but I'm feeling dreadfully lazy and not in the mood to go back and find them all, so I'll just mention the latest one, which also appears to be the most interesting.

Milwaukee Bucks receive:
SG Randy Foye
Minnesota Timberwolves 2010 2nd round pick

Minnesota Timberwolves receive:
PG Javaris Crittenton
SG Kevin Logan
SF Ruben Patterson

What this means for the Bucks:
Randy Foye is a solid, steady scorer to team up with Michael Redd, so from Milwaukee's offensive standpoint, it's a good thing, as the Bucks seemed primed for a playoff spot this year. Only who's going to run the point now? Milwaukee's going with Redd, though Foye is probably better suited.

What this means for the Timberwolves:
Javaris Crittenton, the biggest piece of the puzzle, has potential to be a perfect pure NBA PG someday, but he's not going to reach that potential in Minneapolis, where he's a backup to the more polished rookie PG Major Drayton. Kevin Logan provides some scoring punch off the bench and Ruben Patterson is a great defensive presence, if old.

Winner: Minnesota
Randy Foye's a decent second option, but not -that- good and the Bucks have no true PG now. The Timberwolves may only get 3 half-season rentals here, but Javaris Crittenton is worth retaining -if- he can get quality minutes and their offense is good enough with Kevin Garnett and Ricky Davis that Foye won't be missed. A Crittenton/Drayton backcourt is an intriguing future possibility, particularly since Davis is 30 years old and the 19-38 Timberwolves are likely to be rebuilding for a while.

Seth Chambliss was signed by the Clippers and gets paid $745,248 to be a garbage-time man. Although Mackel Greenleaf[/b[ is a good starter, I really don't like not having two legitimate PGs, so I sign [b]PG Jarrius Jackson, who played well for me with the Anaheim Cats last year.

105-76 thrashing of Colorado to start March, Brandon Hunter a perfect 7/7 from the bench to score 15 points. I knew there was a reason why I tried to maintain continuity with my guys.

We take out Arkansas 108-89 and the victory over the Rattlers is huge in terms of getting up to second place. Seven Mammoths in double-digit scoring, the benchmen to top 10 points being Renaldas Seibutis (14) and Brandon Hunter and Nick Sanders with 10 a piece.

You know, it's kind of ironic... Way back at the beginning, when I first took over the Knicks, I seriously thought about re-hiring Jeff Van Gundy to come back and coach the team, but I didn't want to spoil his previous New York magic.

And here it is, three years later, and I hired him anyway as head coach of my D-League team and he's been an absolute master at turning around the Austin Mammoths' season. Funny how life works sometimes.

Naturally, right after I finish that philosophical thought process, Van Gundy has his first loss in the D-League, an 84-74 defeat to Tulsa despite all five Mammoths starters in double digits, Kenneth Holland with 15 points and 16 rebounds.

And then we lose 100-93 to Idaho. Ugh, this is not how I wanted to finish off our season, with a losing streak building. But B.J. Whitehead missed the last two games with an injury and that hurts, even if Brandon Hunter double-doubled with 14 points and 13 rebounds in his absence this game.

Oh shoot! That reminds me... I forgot to update on the Utah Six! I'll have to do that at season's end.

Sioux Falls falls 95-80 as we turn things around with B.J. Whitehead's return, even though Rodney White was the hero of the game with 21 points. Aaron Gray double-doubled from the bench with 14 points and 12 rebounds, because we no longer have the recalled Kenneth Holland. Brandon Hunter stepped into the middle with no problems, though, double-doubling himself with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

The much-needed win over the Commodores kicks off a brutal stretch of 5 games in 7 days. The first doubleheader we split, dropping 91-85 to Arkansas of all teams and rebounding to top Dakota 92-74 the next night. The Rattlers' loss came despite double-doubles from B.J. Whitehead (11 points, 11 rebounds) and Brandon Hunter (12 points, 13 rebounds. B.J. Whitehead crushed the Great Apes for 23 points and 10 rebounds, Aaron Gray chipping in 10 bench points.

Of course, what happens before our next doubleheader against Fort Worth?

That's right.

B.J. Whitehead gets shot back up to the NBA by the Rockets. ARGH!

Out of desparation, we sign 35 year old Antonio McDyess, who's old and not very good anymore, despite having played in 75 games a piece for the Pistons and Nets in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

We eke out an 85-82 win over Fort Worth in Game One. Don't ask me how we did it. Renaladas Seibutis and Nick Sanders scoring 12 points a piece with the reserves had a lot to do with it, though.

Mackel Greenleaf is recalled by the Celtics immediately following the game, so we have to add yet another new player. This is really not cool, but 26 year old PG Michael Nolan is the best of an awful free agent lot.

So it's really no surprise when we lose 85-76 to the stinking Colonials in Game Two. Jarron Collins was great from the bench with 16 points, but everyone else sucked. Our team chemistry has now been thoroughly raped.

92-77 loss to Albuquerque. 79-75 loss to Arkansas. I'm starting to really freaking hate the Rattlers.

That ends March and we're tied for 3rd with Tulsa, 4 games back of Arkansas and Sioux Falls who are tied for the East lead. I'm going through the rest of the season, but not before signing someone who can score, because honestly Aaron Gray may be over 7' tall and I may have loved watching him play college ball, but a legitimate starting C for any type of pro team he's not.

So do I sign a new big man? No, I sign 36 year old SG Michael Finley, who's still got game and is another Badger State bloke, or at least he went to college there. Yeah, yeah I know, that bit me in New York too, but what have we got to lose?

Oh look, Mackel Greenleaf's back. Whether he was there for our last two defeats, I don't know, because I was so irate at losing three games in a row I didn't look at those box scores.

And we go to four in a row, losing 81-75 to Dakota. Bloody freaking hell.

We finally snap the streak, downing Tulsa 96-84 as Brandon Hunter gets 16 points and 16 rebounds and Antonio McDyess and Jarron Collins contribute 12 points a piece, but we lose the next night to Fort Worth and the blood vessels in my head are dying to explode, making me die too.

Forget about second place. That's long gone. But we can still finish third as long as we don't screw up in the doubleheader against Dakota for the season finale. Given how we've been playing lately, that's not a sure thing.

We lose 85-81 in the first game. Joy.

We bounce back to win our regular season finale 100-82 as Rodney White scores 20, Mackel Greenleaf double-doubles with 10 points and 12 assists and Nick Sanders, Renaladas Seibutis and Aaron Gray all hit double-digit scoring from the bench, but it's not a joyous feeling. Even finally having Kenneth Holland back doesn't excite me.

Because we finish the year 28-22, tied for 3rd place in the East with Tulsa. I think we hold tiebreaker advantage, but so what? I had high hopes for this Mammoths team and they go and sucked it on me, even after the Jeff Van Gundy hiring.

Oh well. The playoffs are a whole new ballgame and if things break right, maybe we can come out on top with a title.

That would be sweet justice.

I don't feel like stats updating. I'll do it after the playoffs are concluded.

[Izulde]

We get absolutely screwed in the seeding and are handed the #4 spot to face off against #1 Sioux Falls. Lovely.

In the NBA postseason, for the first time in what seems forever, all eight Eastern Conference playoff teams are .500 or better. 7 of 8 Western Conference teams are .+500, with the Los Angeles Lakers the lone sub-.500 entrant.

The Bulls are heavy favorites to win the East, while the Rockets and the Suns both won 60+ games in the West, making the favorites a coinflip there.

I have to admit, I love the Chicago team. Even though Luol Deng is gone for the year with a torn MCL, they still have a solid lineup.

PG Mike Bibby
SG Kirk Hinrich
SF Josh McRoberts
PF Tyrus Thomas (really had a breakout season this year, his first as a full-time starter)
C Eddy Curry
6th Ben Wallace
7th Raymond Felton

and so on. Curry's having arguably his best season in this universe, averaging 17 points a game and 9.3 rebounds in the regular season. Hinrich's scoring numbers are way down (15.8 ppg), but it's much a more potent Bulls offense with Bibby (24.1 ppg) and the emerging Thomas (14.4 ppg).

Switching back to the D-League, if you'd have told me that five Austin Mammoths would score 11 or more points, including Aaron Gray with 13 from the bench and that we'd still lose, I'd have called you a liar, but that's exactly what happened as Sioux Falls beats us 97-90 to end our season.

Whatever. Let's move on before I get really mad about it.

We'll be having a new Eastern Conference champion this year after Detroit sweeps Charlotte in the first round. Also getting the fastest exit possible are Milwaukee, who lost to Boston because they have no PG after that earlier deal, and the defending NBA champion Denver Nuggets, who were swept by the Rockets in Round 1. So much for any hopes of any dynasties in this universe as we've lost our two-time defending East champion and our defending NBA champion already in the first round.

In fact, it was a pretty boring opening round, as every other series is decided in five games: Chicago over Philadelphia, Toronto over Cleveland, Seattle over Portland, San Antonio over Utah and Phoenix over the Lakers.

Second round matchups don't look that exciting in the East either, with Chicago vs. Detroit and Boston vs. Toronto. A Bulls/Raptors East final would be a ton of fun to watch, though.

The West offers Phoenix vs. San Antonio and Seattle vs. Houston. The Rockets should squash the Supersonics, but I'm intrigued by the Suns/Spurs matchup. Phoenix has a balanced offense, whereas San Antonio's been riding Tim Duncan and the suddenly ungodly Tony Parker, he of the 21.3 ppg in the regular season, 23.8 ppg in the opening round.

Houston sweeps Seattle to no one's surprise and the Bulls punch their ticket to the East Conference Finals in five games. Phoenix and San Antonio, as expected, goes full tilt to seven, as does, much to my shock, the Celtics/Raptors series.

Toronto wins Game 7 92-76 thanks to their monstrous front line. Andrea Bargnani scores 25, Chris Bosh double-doubles with 26 points and 12 rebounds and Greg Oden has a double-double as well, 12 points and 11 rebounds.

The Suns ace the Spurs 124-101 with seven Phoenix players in double figures, highlighted by Amare Stoudamire's 20 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks and Steve Nash's 22 points and 12 assists. But the real reason San Antonio lost was because Tony Parker broke his ankle in Game 6 and Tim Duncan was shut down in Game 7, held to just 3 points.

So in the East we've got the Chicago Bulls and their high-octane postseason offense of Mike Bibby (20.8 ppg), Tyrus Thomas (17.9 ppg), Eddy Curry (16.8 ppg) and Kirk Hinrich (16.8 ppg) against the Toronto Raptors and that scary frontline of Chris Bosh (21.3 ppg, 10.6 rpg), Andrea Bargnani (19.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg) and Greg Oden (14.2 ppg, 11.8 rpg). Thomas and Curry are both averaging just shy of 10 rebounds a game in the playoff themselves, but they're going to have their hands full against this dominant frontcourt.

In the West, it's the Phoenix Suns and the suddenly hot Leandro Barbosa (19.6 ppg) and Amare Stoudamire (16.4 ppg, 12.1 rpg) and a host of secondary scorers versus the Houston Rockets and their two-man show of Tracy McGrady (24.9 ppg) and Yao Ming (19 ppg, 14.3 rpg).

The Bulls/Raptors series is too close to call, but the Suns have a much more balanced and diversified offense and guys who have won rings before in 2007, so Phoenix is the odds-on favorite to beat Houston.

Surprisingly, neither series is close in the end, as Chicago jumps out to a 3-0 lead on Toronto and wins in five games and Phoenix runs off 3 straight after it was 1-1 in Game 2 to also win in five.

2009 NBA Finals - Chicago Bulls vs. Phoenix Suns
It's the 2007 NBA champions versus a team that should've been dominating the East for the last few seasons, but has suffered disappointing postseason flameouts the previous two years.

No more, and the Bulls are where they properly should be, as the East Conference champions.

PG Mike Bibby vs. Steve Nash
Bibby was the biggest offseason acquistion in the entire league and he may be the most important one-year signing ever. He's led the Bulls in scoring all year and is the focus of their offense.

Nash has been here before, but this year, he's acted as more of a pure PG in this playoffs, trading in his 20+ points a game for 15.3 points and 11.2 assists. It's made his team a lot better and has the Suns primed for another title.

Advantage: Even

SG Kirk Hinrich vs. Leandro Barbosa
Hinrich, like Nash, has seen his scoring numbers drop, but that's only because Bibby's here and Kirk is still averaging over 18 points for the postseason. He's capable of running the offense and being the main scorer if Bibby goes down and the Bulls frankly have the best starting backcourt in the NBA.

The 27-year old Brazilian Barbosa has turned this playoffs into his coming out party, averaging 20 points a game after a nice, but pedestrian regular season as a part-time starter. He leads the Suns in points per game this playoffs and is currently the toast of Phoenix. But will he succeed against the bigger, better Bulls or will this Cinderella scorer's playoff magic run out?

Advantage: Bulls

SF Josh McRoberts vs. Wally Sczerbiak
McRoberts is only starting because Luol Deng is out. He's non-descript. Wally's been a great veteran pickup and a key part of the Suns' new balance on offense.

Advantage: Suns

PF Tyrus Thomas vs. Shawn Marion
Thomas broke out this year and has looked better and better as the season's gone on, really peaking in this playoffs as he's averaged almost 19 points a game and played tough, briliant lockdown defense.

Marion is one of the biggest disappointments and underachievers in the league. Blessed with phenomenal talent, he's become nothing more than a pretty good player and shows absolutely no fire and no passion on the court.

Advantage: Bulls

C Eddy Curry vs. Amare Stoudemire
Chicago should be thanking the Lottery GM for shipping Curry back to the Bulls from the Knicks, because he's experienced a rejuvenation in his second stint in Chicago. Now that Bibby and Hinrich are around and Thomas has blossomed, Curry can take on a secondary role in the offense, which better suits his temperment.

Stoudemire is one of those guys who doesn't look fantastic on the scoresheet, but he brings a consistent double-double effort night in and night out and he fits in well with the Suns game.

Advantage: Even

The Bulls' bench is slightly better than the Suns', which should give Chicago the edge in an NBA Finals matchup that looks to be extremely entertaining.

Phoenix's playoff experience looks to turn the Finals into a rout when they jump to a 2-0 series lead, but the Bulls bounce back to take the next two and force an evening at 2-2. Chicago wins Game 5, but Phoenix wins Game 6 to set up the climatic Game 7.

And then Mike Bibby roars to life.

Already considered one of the greatest one-year signings in NBA history, Bibby adds to his hired gun legacy by scoring 35 points and garnering 6 assists, 7 rebounds and a timely steal to lead Chicago past Phoenix 96-91.

The Chicago Bulls are your 2009 NBA Champions!!!

Bibby the Brilliant! Mike the Magnificient!

They'll be talking about this season in Chitown for a long, long time to come. Not since the Jordan dynasty years have the Bulls looked this splendid, nor have they worn championship gold.

But the wait is finally over.

Da Bulls are basketball kings again.

[Izulde]

The Utah Six 2009 Recap

PG Brandon Brooks - Portland Trailblazers
Started 79 games this year and continues to show steady improvement as Portland's PG, averaging 12.6 points and 7.8 assists. A Sophomore All-Star starter, he's on the verge of becoming a great player, I think. Still, he's definitely good at this stage in his career.

PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
Made major strides after a disappointing rookie season (even though he won Rookie of the Year), shooting up to 13.7 points, 9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. It's hard to believe the T-Wolves were only 30-52 with him and Kevin Garnett, though the team's play did drastically improve after trading away Randy Foye, which suggests a chemistry issue. Moody was a Sophomore starter as well and shows signs of becoming one of the elite players in the league sooner rather than later.

SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat
Despite starting 78 games, appeared to take a step backward, regressing in most major statistics with 7.3 points and 3.9 rebounds, though his steals up were to a 1.4 average. It's looking more and more as if he'll turn into a defensive specialist, the kind of player that's a good role player on a championship team, but without the offense to be a star. On the other hand, he's still got some development left, so maybe he can snap it around. Sophomore Reserve.

C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks
Big gains by the big man, who started 61 games. 8 points a game and 5.5 rebounds both represent significant improvements. Well okay, not the boards, but definitely the points. Hasn't quite adjusted his 7'5" 301 lbs. body to the NBA it seems and who knows he ever will. There's promise there, however. Sophomore Starter.

SF Brian Robertson - Dallas Mavericks
Significantly improved, both in the 5 games he appeared in the NBA and in the D-league. Posted 9.3 points and 5.6 boards a game for the Fort Worth Colonials, but there's nothing to suggest that he'll be anything more than a D-League lifer.

PF B.J. Whitehead - Houston Rockets
Played fewer NBA games, but averaged over 20 minutes in the 17 games he played, averaging 7.9 points and 6.5 rebounds. He's really worked hard and definitely stands a good shot at being a legitimate NBA bench player. His numbers with the Mammoths were almost exactly identical to last season however, suggesting that he doesn't have the same intensity and desire in the D-Leagues that he does in the NBA. Too bad, because we could have really used a dominating B.J. here in Austin.

NBA Lottery
1. Orlando Magic (+10)
2. Dallas Mavericks (+7)
3. Minnesota Timberwolves (+2)
4. Indiana Pacers (-3)
5. New Orleans Hornets (-3)
6. New York Knicks (-3)
7. Washington Wizards (-3)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (-2)
9. Atlanta Hawks (-2)
10. L.A. Clippers (-2)
11. Golden State Warriors (-1)
12. Sacramento Kings
13. Miami Heat
14. New Jersey Nets

What a major upset in the lottery! The Magic and the Mavericks have to be absolutely thrilled with their luck. I'm gleeful to see the Knicks continue to have hard luck and hope it stays that way for them.

2009 NBA Awards

MVP
Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks - 28.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.5 bpg, 1.1 spg
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - 12.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 3.3 apg, 4.1 bpg, 1.5 spg
Rookie of the Year
Narcyz Malinomowski - Memphis Grizzlies - 10.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.3 bpg, 0.7 spg
6th Man of the Year
Johan Petro - San Antonio Spurs - 8.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.0 bpg, 0.7 spg
Coach of the Year
Mike D'Antoni - Phoenix Suns

Andrei Kirilenko continues to be the only player in the history of this universe to win Defensive Player of the Year. That's three straight trophies for those counting at home.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Michael Redd - Milwaukee Bucks
SF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
PF Elton Brand - L.A. Clippers
C Andrew Bynum - L.A. Lakers

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns
SG Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets
SF Paul Pierce - Boston Celtics
PF Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Mike Bibby - Chicago Bulls
SG Allen Iverson - Denver Nuggets
SF Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets
PF Carlos Boozer - Utah Jazz
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors (3rd season)

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Kirk Hinrich - Chicago Bulls
SG Allen Iverson - Denver Nuggets
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Tyrus Thomas - Chicago Bulls
C Marcus Camby - Denver Nuggets

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Major Drayton - Minnesota Timberwolves
SG Mike Tice - Orlando Magic
SF Patrick Pastner - Indiana Pacers
PF Mike Patterson - Toronto Raptors
C Narcyz Malinomowski - Memphis Grizzlies

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Gabe Rosen - L.A. Clippers
SG Rob Robinson - Washington Wizards
SF Donte Whiting - Denver Nuggets
PF T.J. Roberts - Miami Heat
C Jayson Alexander - Atlanta Hawks

Next day, the owner calls and this time it's the right owner. I tell him I was pretty pleased with how we did overall, pointing out the turnaround we made after I hired Jeff Van Gundy, when we were playing so badly we were likely to be spotty to even make the playoffs. I also noted that although we lost to Sioux Falls in the first round, it was a close game and the Commodores went on to win the D-League title.

He thinks we should've won the championship.

I tell him to fuck off and quit.

One job opening in the NBA

...And it's the Denver Nuggets, the 2008 NBA Champions who lost in the first round this year.

I don't see much chance of getting it, but I apply anyway, calling up Steve Crenshaw, the Nuggets' owner.

"You've been doing some great work down in the D-League, turning around the Anaheim Cats and pulling that shrewd move with Van Gundy in Austin this year. I like a GM that's not afraid to make gutsy moves to turn things about and honestly, we could use that to get back in shape here in Denver. You got ripped in New York, but I promise you, if you want to get the Nuggets back to form, you're welcome to it, Jestor!"

"Um, you mean you're offering me the GM job?"

"That's right!"

"...I'LL TAKE IT!!!"

"Welcome back to the NBA, Mr. Jestor!"

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cubboyroy1826]

Congrats man!!!

[Swaggs]

Nice!

But will you take Van Gundy with you?

[Neon_Chaos]

Whoooo!!!!

You finally made it back to the big leagues!

[Northwood_DK]

Very nice.

I will keep reading

[RedHawk00]

grats on making it back up to the big boy league

[Izulde]

cubbyroy1826: Thanks! :)

Swaggs: I'd love to... but who knows if circumstances will allow me to.

Neon_Chaos: And it's about damned time, too!

Northwood_DK: Thanks and glad to hear it. :)

RedHawk00: Thanks :) I'm really glad to be back.

[Autumn]

I'm psyched for you, I was worried they'd leave you marinating down there. Sounds like a pretty good opportunity too with a recent champ.

[Izulde]

I'm psyched for you, I was worried they'd leave you marinating down there. Sounds like a pretty good opportunity too with a recent champ.


Thanks :) And it's better than with the Knicks, that for sure. Whether or not it's good remains to be seen.

[Izulde]

The next night, I'm in Denver eating at an Olive Garden with the Nuggets owner. A franchise middle-class family restaurant. This can't be good.

We discuss light topics through dinner, such as our respective favorite football teams (Broncos, Dolphins) and the merits of Italian wines versus Spanish. I hold forth for Miami and sing the praises of the Spanish reds, while he counters with Denver love and a deeply-held conviction that Italy holds the best reds.

After dessert, we settle back and sit quietly for a few moments to let things digest and collect our thoughts.

"So, welcome to the Nuggets", he says with a smile after that short while.

"Thanks. I'm glad to be here." And I am. Denver's not my favorite city in the world or even in the US, but it's passable and I have fond memories of the University of Wyoming.

"Good, good. All right, Mr. Jestor. Here's the deal. We already won a title two years ago, so I don't care about a championship. I just want this run as a profitable business and to me, a profitable business means only spending money if it'll generate more money. We're over the salary cap now, but we've got a few expiring deals, so you should be able to bring it under control. Nobody's signed through any later than 2012, so you'll be able to get our finances in good shape pretty soon, yes? I want our budget to be more or less balanced by this year. Not next year. This year."

...Great. A penny-pincher. I -knew- it as soon as he told me Olive Garden.

"Right. I can handle that, sure."

"Good. Now then, here's some papers for you to look at illustrating our financial situation as well as Iverson's medical report."

...What did he just say?

"Iverson's medical report?"

"Yes. He blew up his knee three games before the playoffs. The team doctor says he might be able to come back sometime late next season."

...Are you fucking kidding me?! One of our top stars and we're losing him for almost the entire next season?! Ugh, I should've known there was a catch to all this.

"Tough blow, but I think we'll manage to cover it and still make the playoffs."

"That's fine. Playoffs will give us more money. And as for the salary cap?"

Here the owner fixes me with a look and I know I'd better answer right. The problem is, we've got some monster contracts on the team and I don't know how moveable any of them are going to be. So the best policy is to be honest.

"Well, I know you want us to have a balanced budget, Mr. Crenshaw, but that's just not going to be possible this season. What I can guarantee you, however, is that we'll be no more than $10-15 million over the cap."

From his frown, I can tell I've answered wrong.

"That's too much. Make it lower."

"I'll see what I can do."

"See to it that you do, if you would please."

So things didn't end the best way, but at least I've got a better feel for how things are going to go.

I spend the next few days going over the team roster and plotting how to remake this team. What immediately jumps out at me is that we need to get a legitimate-quality PG and a studly scorer to ease the pain until Allen Iverson's ready to come back so Carmelo Anthony doesn't have to do it all himself.

Luckily, there's a perfect match out there and I'm able to execute a painless deal to solve our problems.

Denver Nuggets receive:
PG Chauncey Billups

Detroit Pistons receive:
PF Nene Hilario
Denver Nuggets' 2nd round pick 2010 Draft (#44)

What this means for the Nuggets:
Nene has never developed into the franchise player Denver hoped for and with Allen Iverson to miss most of next season, the Nuggets needed a scorer to go with Carmelo Anthony. Enter Billups, an excellent shooter and textbook passer who brings veteran savvy and postseason experience to the roster. He also fills a huge position void with the Nuggets, who needed a true PG. Yes, he's 34, but Denver just won the title two years ago and they have the talent to be contenders in the short-term still.

What this means for the Pistons:
The rebuilding project had to begin sometime and the 28-year old Nene is now one of the youngest players on Detroit's roster. The 2nd round pick will give another young body as well. Is Nene the type of player many thought he would turn into? No. But he's the best big man under contract on the team right now and will give the Pistons a safety net at C if they have no other luck in the offseason.

Advantage: Slight edge to Denver
Both teams benefit, but the Nuggets look to have a better level of improvement than the Pistons.

I'm thrilled with the trade, as the salary shaves off another million off our cap number. It's nickel and diming and yes, Billups will more than make that up when he earns $14 million next year as opposed to $12 million now, but with Kenyon Martin's $16.5 million coming off the books next season, I can afford a slight increase.

Signed Players and State of the Roster

Point Guard
Chauncey Billups (34 years old/13th season)
-Just acquired and I see him as a Mike Bibby type of difference-maker for us. He'll be a lot better than Marcus Williams was last year, that's for sure.

Shooting Guard
Allen Iverson (35 years old/14th season)
-Out for most of next year with the torn knee tendon. In the last year of his contract and could potentially be gone after this season, even though he's one of my favorite players.

Small Forward
Carmelo Anthony (26 years old/7th season)
-As much as I hate to admit it, he's the face of the team. I despise 'Melo, but the fans love him, the team loves him, he scores 20+ points a game and he's been an All-Star Reserve and All-NBA 3rd Team the last two seasons. I'd love to trade him and I still might.

Donte Whiting (23 years old/2nd season)
-Roster filler, to be quite honest. Another candidate to get shipped out. Late 1st rounder last year and All-Rookie 2nd Team, but I think he sucks and is overrated.

Power Forward
Kenyon Martin (33 years old/10th season)
-Makes way too much money and K-Mart is nowhere near as good as he once was (and it's questionable just how good he really was in the first place). Still, he's a sweet, sweet expiring deal and plays defense. We could do worse for a starting PF. Sad thing is, he's our best big man right now because Marcus Camby is out of contract.

Blake Evans (23 years old/2nd season)
-Last year's 2nd round pick and a real scrub. Averaged less than a single everything last season in the 17 minutes a game for the two games he played. Zero work ethic, but he's loyal and a great team guy, who's paradoxically motivated. Motivated but no work ethic. Yeah, interesting isn't it? Still, I might keep him around to see what he can do.

Just six players under contract and one of them is out for most of the year. Ouch. As you can see, I'm going to have to go into quasi-D-League team building mode. Maybe that's another reason why Crenshaw hired me. That said, I think we have a chance to be really a pretty good team.

Ah, yes. That reminds me. Coaching staff.

Oh look. All the assistants are working for free! (The $0,000 assistant salary bug has reared its head here. In fact, only a handful or so of assistant coaches are actually officially drawing a salary, meaning everyone else is being paid under the table.)

That's the good news. The bad news is that George Karl, who I hate even more than 'Melo, is the head coach and he's earning $6.6 million a year for the next 3 years. Crenshaw's tightfisted, so we're stuck with Karl for the duration of his contract unless a new owner comes in.

I console myself by firing every one of Karl's assistants. Take that, baldy fatass.

Over the next couple weeks, heavy-duty discussions start cropping up surrounding 'Melo and the press is alive with rumors that he's possible going to be dealt, because, as one scribe put it, "This is the Lottery GM, notorious for ripping out the foundations of teams and putting in wholesale changes."

The fanbase is nervous and my office gets flooded with calls and e-mails begging me not to deal Carmelo.

They're right to be afraid, to be honest, as I've been involved in talks with a lot of teams about a blockbuster deal. One rumoured trade won't be happening, though. Cleveland absolutely refuses to part with LeBron James and laughed in my face when I suggested that something could be worked out.

And then it happens.

An ironic deal that shakes the league to its very foundations and changes two franchises forever.

Denver Nuggets receive
SG Ben Gordon
SF Jared Jeffries
PF Joakim Noah
New York Knicks 2010 1st round pick (#6)
New York Knicks 2010 1st round pick (#29)

New York Knicks receive
SF Carmelo Anthony
SF Donte Whiting
PF Blake Evans
Denver Nuggets 2010 1st round pick (#17)
Denver Nuggets 2012 2nd round pick

What this means for the Nuggets:
Goodbye, Melo. The Lottery GM has struck again, acquiring his favorites in Gordon and Noah, which actually make work out in Denver's favor. Gordon's contract is much more cap friendly ($10.9 million is the highest it gets for the same number of years), he's only a year older at 27 and is a much more balanced player than Carmelo. With him and Chauncey Billups, the Nuggets have arguably the best backcourt this side of the Chicago Bulls. Noah keeps improving with each passing year and he represents a young, major boost for Denver's frontcourt, allowing them to slide Kenyon Martin to SF or possibly have him come off the bench. Jeffries is an expiring contract. The real key to this deal will be what GM Jestor does with the #6 and #29 picks. Make the right choices and he'll be hailed as a legend, a real genius. Fail and he'll probably wash out of the NBA.

What this means for the Knicks:
The glittering lights of New York have been starved for a legitimate star for years and now, at long last, the Knicks once again have one of the league's best players. Not since Patrick Ewing was here has there been this eletric a talent. They won't miss Noah, not when they have Ronny Smith and Rudy Braun as emerging youngsters. With 'Melo as the star and a promising young cast, including All-Rookie 2nd Team member Whiting, the return of the Knicks to the NBA elite should be soon forthcoming. At the very least, they've turned themselves into playoff contenders.

Advantage: New York by a mile
So much is dependent on Jestor's draft selections and he has a very spotty record there. The Knicks got exactly what they needed, the Nuggets not so much.

Well, screw 'em. You don't get much when you ship off a superstar in the NBA anyway and I'm happy with the choice I've made.

Coach Hiring

Oops. I may have erred in firing the assistants. Very weak crop here. Jeff Van Gundy is still signed to coach Austin through to next season. Joy.

Rejection, rejection, rejection.

Nobody wants to come coach for us.

So what do I do? Go for the sexy hires, the name coaches. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar signs a four-year deal to be our 1st assistant and one of my favorite players of all time (and Gabriel Arcadia long-time starter[) Detlef Schrempf signs on as the 2nd assistant, Lionel Hollins the 3rd man.

All to four-year deals, longer than I'd like, but nobody would take anything shorter.

The news of the hires generates a lot of buzz around the country as everyone is curious now as to just how these new-look Nuggets are going to be on the court.

Mock Draft

Speaking of new Nuggets news, the mock drafts have us taking 19 year old C Adrian McKay out of Stanford. Interesting kid, but I'm not sure how much I like the looks of him. One's thing for certain, none of the projected top players in the mock draft are guys I have any intention of trading up for.

Although a big man is our biggest need, I initially really like the looks of 18 year old PG Paulinho Buboltz, a Brazilian kid who's short (5'11") but who appears to have an awesome game and we could use some youth at the point spot. 21 year old PG Brian Metcalfe out of Oklahoma State looks interesting as well. Overall, the PG position looks really deep in this draft.

At our #29 pick, the mocks have us taking Metcalfe's teammate, 23 year old SF Kyle Acani, who looks like a nice player for that late in the draft.

Poor class of big men, despite four Cs mocked to go in the top 10, though of the ones that could fall to us at #29, 23 year old PF Leroy Wright out of Michigan State is going to get a longer look.

Big decisions to make at any rate, but I'm really enjoying being back in this NBA game and loving this draft research.

[Neon_Chaos]

Do you enjoy ripping the heart out of every team you're managing, or is it one of those "my momma never loved me enough" things? :devil:

[Izulde]

Do you enjoy ripping the heart out of every team you're managing, or is it one of those "my momma never loved me enough" things? :devil:

:D Hey, if the two were reversed and it was AI the young stud and 'Melo the ancient, injured player, I'd keep AI and still have dealt Carmelo.

[Izulde]

"I certainly hope you know what you're doing, or you'll be gone at the end of the year the same as you were in New York."

Crenshaw's voice is cold, like if voices could kill I'd be dead cold. He's pissed because I traded away the team's most marketable player of course and he's furious thinking about the impact that could have on merchandising and season ticket sales.

"I'm doing the right thing, Mr. Crenshaw. We'll still make the playoffs, we've made ourselves stronger for the future and, most importantly, we'll save a ton of money next year in salary."

"You had better be right. That's all I can say." *click*

I expected this kind of backlash from our owner and from the fans and media, who've spent the past several weeks ripping me. It'll be fine by season's end I'm sure.

After the workouts, I'm having to readjust my thinking a bit, but we'll see what happens.

2010 NBA Draft
1. SF Jeremy Lemons - Orlando Magic
2. C Jonte Jones - Dallas Mavericks
3. C Kyle Jordan - Minnesota Timberwolves

A 6'9" C as the #3 pick... Yeah, uh huh. Nice one T-Wolves.

4. SG Mateen Yeaton - Indiana Pacers

This kid can flat out score, averaging 28.1 points a game last year for the Hoosiers. Great local pickup and huge marketing boost for the rebuilding Pacers.

5. SG Nigel Abel - New Orleans Hornets

Surprisingly, J.P. the Draft Guru says we're going to take PG Brian Metcalfe, the Oklahoma State kid that intrigued me earlier. He argued that the Nuggets need youth to replace Chauncey Billups at some point, that Metcalfe's the best player available and that there's no frontcourt players worth a look here.

It's a very difficult choice to make. Metcalfe is the much more polished player and although Paulinho Buboltz didn't look fantastic in workouts, he's three years younger than Metcalfe and could benefit from a two-year apprenticeship to Billups. There's also the fact that Buboltz could be the Brazilian that replaces Nene in terms of marketing.

I meant to work out PG Derrick Sterett out of Cincinnati, but forgot to, or he'd be in the running. PF Mike Vines looks great too, good skills and great work ethic, except he's a notorious attitude problem.

Finally, I call up Memphis and offer to trade down to the #8 spot, taking the Grizzlies' 2012 2nd round pick as compensation. They accept and pull a boneheaded move.

6. SG Steve Neal - Memphis Grizzlies
7. C Dan Jacobson - Washington Wizards

J.P. makes me laugh by suggesting I told him we were looking at Ben Richeon in addition to Brian Metcalfe. What a liar! So, neither Buboltz or Metcalfe were taken obviously and while I'm leaning towards Buboltz, I still can't decide.

Finally, I make my choice, after weighing more trading down options and deciding none of them are palatable.

8. PG Paulinho Buboltz - Denver Nuggets

Surprisingly, the analysts all applaud the pick, even J.P., who remarks, "Buboltz could have even gone a little earlier. He's got that kind of glitzy potential to be a superstar. The selection also does a lot to ease the suffering of Nuggets fans in Brazil who were disappointed with the Nene trade. Excellent move by the Lottery GM here."

That's nice to hear and it appears it might confirm my gut instinct that Buboltz was the player to go with.

9. C Adrian McKay - Atlanta Hawks

Wow. I was not impressed with this guy at all and sure the mocks had us taking him, but he looked like a real dud. The talking heads rip the pick as well. Stupid sportswriters.

10. PG Brian Metcalfe - Los Angeles Clippers

And Metcalfe finally goes. The Clippers have to be absolutely ecstatic that he fell to them.

11. C Ben Richeson - Golden State Warriors
12. PF Mike Vines - Sacramento Kings

Honestly, if it wasn't for questions about his attitude, I'd have taken him back at #6, so the Kings got a potential steal here if his character issues don't become a problem.

13. SG Rupert Jones - Miami Heat
14. PG Derrick Sterett - New Jersey Nets

Looks like it's a good thing I passed on Sterett. The talking heads mentioned an incident he had with the police last year in Cincinnati, something involving an ex-girlfriend. Sure, it could've been all her, but it's a red flag nonetheless.

15. PG Kelvin Brown - Los Angeles Lakers
16. SG Walter Killion - Philadelphia 76ers
17. PG Terrance Cobb - New York Knicks

I laugh. The Knicks drafted a shoot-first ballhog.

18. SG Jamar Jefferson - Charlotte Bobcats
19. SF Jarrod Owens - Portland Trailblazers
20. SF Kyle Acani - Cleveland Cavaliers

So much for our taking him. He's a lights-out shooter though, which should help provide some offense for the Cavs besides King James.

21. C Marc Ward - Utah Jazz
22. PG Dan Wessel - Seattle Supersonics
23. SG Andrew Clay - San Antonio Spurs
24. SF Willie Larson - Milwaukee Bucks
25. SG Joe Malone - Detroit Pistons
26. PG Leigh Nash - Boston Celtics
27. PF Marlon Orvis - Toronto Raptors

What the hell?! Why are the Raptors drafting a forward when they need backcourt help?! The mind boggles at their sheer stupidity. Unbelievable. And this was a franchise that was actually going places.

28. PG Patrick Cooper - Houston Rockets

J.P. has us taking C Jimmy Morris with this next pick, noting that George Karl wants a big man. Snort. Yeah, like I'm going to listen to what fat and baldy says, though in this case, he happens to be right about our needing a big man in a big way.

Luckily at this point in the draft, there's players worth taking a gamble on, including the one that I was first attracted to for this spot.

29. PF Leroy Wright - Denver Nuggets

Great physical tools and a damned fine consistent player. Opinion among the experts is split, with some saying he's a steal, others saying he's overrated. My opinion is that he's going to be a solid player for us and if he doesn't pan out, so what? He's two steps away from being a 2nd rounder.

30. PF Kevin Thomas - Phoenix Suns

A lot of people had him rated as the 2nd best PF behind Vines, but I didn't see it and apparently neither did a lot of other teams. Injury history, character concerns, and in my private belief, simply overrated.

In the second round, nobody knows who we'll take and the consensus is it should pretty much be best player available. I agree and I take a flyer on SF Andre Egans, a 23 year old senior out of North Carolina, because my coaching staff is convinced the Tarheel's a sleeper.

The selection draws another split among the experts, but I don't care. It's always been my philosophy that second round picks are just trade fodder and roster filler.

Initial scouting reports after the draft suggest that Paulinho Buboltz, while extremely raw, has the potential to develop into a short version of Ben Gordon with not quite as good a defense and a possibility of turning into one of our most popular players. If he can turn into that, that would be awesome.

Leroy Wright looks like a disappointment, honestly not that much better than Andre Egans, whose sterling work ethic earns him an immediate two-year contract and the possibility of either making the team outright, or, more likely, getting some major minutes down in the D-League. Still, Wright could see quite a bit of time given his versatility and ability to play 3 positions.

Contract Renouncements

I renounce everyone that I can, saying goodbye to rights on Marcus Camby ($11 million) and Marcus Williams ($5.1 million) in particular. Even with those waivers, we're still over the cap by roughly $11 million and Crenshaw's going to bitch. Honestly, how he expected us to be even more under the cap than that and still field a full, competitive roster, I'll never know.

But we've got 9 players on the team now, so all we need is 3 more bodies to make a minimum roster, though I'll probably shoot for 14 players. We're not going to get any more guards, as we have plenty enough in Billups, Gordon, and Buboltz and I frankly don't want to risk Paulinho's missing out on development time.

Our big focus is going to be SF/PF/C, because right now, the decrepit K-Mart is our starting SF and Jared Jeffries is tenatively our starting C. That's a scary situation, one that has to be immediately rectified. Can you say exemption shopping? I knew you could.

But that will come when free agency does.

[Izulde]

Summmer League

PG Paulinho Buboltz, SF Andre Egans, PF Joakim Noah and PF Leroy Wright are all assigned to our Summer League team.

We go 1-4 in summer league play, primarily because Buboltz commits 5 fouls a game and averages 20 minutes. On the other hand, Joakim Noah shows signs of making the next big step at the pro level and free agent to be SF Jeff Green impresses enough that we'll try and get him.

There's a ton of great, if aging free agents available, but I imagine most of them will stay with their teams.

Free Agency

The first signing is a huge blockbuster as Tracy McGrady signs a 5 year, $91.8 million dollar deal to jump ship to the Sacramento Kings.

We get our first free agent signing the next day, inking C Jason Collins to a one-year min sal deal.

Most of the big names re-up as expected, but the Rockets recover for losing McGrady in a major way, grabbing Mike Bibby for 4 years and $48.5 million on the same day that Ray Allen hops to the Heat and Marcus Camby inks with the Cavaliers. In a much quieter deal, we get C Peter John Ramos as we concentrate on building up our rebounding.

We're left holding the bag when Jeff Green goes back to the Timberwolves for 4 years and $20 million. But that's okay, because we grab headline news in signing the ancient C Shaquille O'Neal the next day to our mid-level exemption. He may be 37 years old and in the twilight of his career, but Shaq's still got game.

So we've now got a glut of big men and still need a backup SG/SF. Larry Hughes goes to the Raptors for 4 years and $30 mill, robbing me of a primary target and Bobby Simmons goes to the Mavericks for the mid-level exemption.

SF Justin Reed is our min-sal emergency signing on the same day that C Ben Wallace goes to Toronto for the mid-level. The Raptors are definitely going to have the biggest team in the league, that's for sure.

Ugh. Reed's too tall to play SG. Back into free agency to sign SG Raja Bell to a min-sal deal, putting us at 14 players and just over $20 million on the cap. I hope we survive this season.

...Damn it! We didn't get him. The Timberwolves stole him. I'm really beginning to hate Minnesota right now, even more than I did before.

Instead we sign SG Rod Little, a second year pro and defensive specialist, to a min-sal contract. The good news is, he keeps us under the $20 million over the mark cap. Then I find out the next day that George Karl plans to make Paulinho Buboltz the backup at both guard spots.

Ugh, oh well. At least with 14 players, it's looking like we'll keep Jared Jefferies off the court.

Acie Law signed with the Washington Wizards, by the way. 2 years, $6.3 million. He should get the chance there he never did in New York.

The most surprising deal of all is this, though: Steve Nash to San Antonio on a one year, $6.3 million deal. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Worse yet for Nash, he's not even starting. Tony Parker and Joe Johnson presently occupy the top backcourt spots.

I won't be sending anyone to the D-League this season, as I like not having Jared Jeffries playing and our rookies should get considerable playing time.

I'm smug when I receive the e-mail that we've sold out all our season tickets. See? We don't need Carmelo after all. I'll be happy to point that out to Crenshaw at the end of the year.

Unfortunately, the news media has us picked to finish 4th in our division this year, 11th in the conference and hence out of a playoff spot. The Portland Trailblazers are definitely the class of the West:

PG Brandon Brooks
SG Brandon Roy
SF Kevin Durant (21 points, 7 rebounds last year)
PF Zach Randolph
C LaMarcus Aldridge

and a nice, deep bench.

Toronto, despite loading up on big men, are the clear-cut favorites in the East after Bibby left the Bulls.

PG T.J. Ford
SG Larry Hughes
SF Andrea Bargnani
PF Chris Bosh
C Greg Oden

and Ben Wallace on the bench.

I still think we're good enough to make the playoffs, even though Allen Iverson is confirmed as being out most of the season: 5 and 1/2 months yet.

The Lakers are off to a rough start medically this year:

Kobe Bryant - Out 55 days
Lamar Odom - Out 112 days
Rasheed Wallace - Out 59 days

If they can ride the storm of the first couple months, they'll be one of the better teams in the West in my opinion.

But season start is upon us. It should be fun.

[Izulde]

It's on to the first month of the season, because I'm so pumped to be back in the NBA I can't wait.

Opening game is Halloween night on the road against the banged-up Lakers and Chauncey Billups and Ben Gordon serve immediate notice that they're going to lead the team this year. Billups scores 37 points, dishes out 10 assists, grabs 7 boards and notches 3 steals, while Gordon scores 36 in the 108-96 win. There honestly wasn't much for anyone else to do.

Anyone can beat a team as battered as the Lakers, so we get a real test against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 2, where we lose a heartbreaker 114-113. Chauncey Billups again led the team, with 29 points and 11 assists on the double-double and Leroy Wright had 14 points off the bench. Kenyon Martin has been terrible to start the year, so we could see Wright in the starting lineup before too long.

Things look a lot better after we destroy the Jazz 121-94 in our next game. 6 players in double-digit figures, including Leroy Wright with 12 from the bench. The hero of the game was Ben Gordon, however, with a dazzling 41 points. I'm starting to feel really good about going and getting my boys in that Carmelo trade.

Next up is a doubleheader, the first one against the Jazz on the road, the Supersonics at home the next night. We keep our winning streak alive, topping Utah 107-92 behind 32 points from Ben Gordon and two double-doubles: Chauncey Billups with 15 points and 11 assists and a surprising Shaquille O'Neal with 23 points and 10 rebounds. Told you Shaq still had game. Seattle was another victory, 109-80 as Ben Gordon and Chauncey Billups lead the team with 28 and 23 points respectively and Shaquille O'Neal just misses a double-double with 18 points and 9 rebounds.

What's even more amazing is that Shaq pulled that feat off despite breaking his elbow. He'll be out roughly two months and we'll have to ride the rookie Leroy Wright as the starting C until then, although Joakim Noah is better suited at 6'11 than Wright's 6'9 to play the five.

I'm a little nervous how we'll be without Shaq but we stomp Detroit 91-65 with fantastic team defense and 30 points from Ben Gordon, so maybe we'll be all right after all. Then again, the Pistons are 1-4, so it's not like we beat an amazing squad.

Still, we continue to play incredible defense and win again, downing Sacramento 96-73, Chauncey Billups player of the game with 19 points and 8 assists, Ben Gordon scoring 19 as well, Leroy Wright contributing 16 points as he proving a surprisingly efficient replacement for Shaq.

I'm not expecting to win the next game and we don't, as the mighty Raptors decimate us 110-95, despite 34 points and 8 assists from Chauncey Billups. That frontcourt is just too damned good against our weakness inside with Shaq's injury.

We surprise the Bulls 107-97 to get back on the winning track, though, Ben Gordon dropping 28 points on his old team, Chauncey Billups his second with 20 points. Eddy Curry's lost his starting spot to David Lee again and he's really unhappy about it, demanding to be traded. Can't say that I blame him.

Tough, closs loss against the Mavericks follows, despite double-doubles from Joakim Noah (14 points, 14 rebounds) and Chauncey Billups (20 points, 13 assists. Paulinho Buboltz had his first ever double-digit game as a pro with 12 points and Leroy Wright finally replaces Kenyon Martin at starting SF, meaning Peter John Ramos is our starting C. Yeah, it's ugly in there.

I'm thinking a losing streak is going to hit, but we drop the Nets 99-78 as Ben Gordon continues to show why I traded for him, scoring 31 points and snagging 8 boards, while Chauncey Billups double-doubles with 24 points and 15 assists. Kenyon Martin is fighting to get his starting job back with a double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds from the bench.

Another doubleheader and it's a nasty one, against the Spurs and the Rockets. We lose both games by considerable margins, though Ben Gordon and Chauncey Billups both score 27 against San Antonio, Billups doubling with 10 assists and Kenyon Martin, back in the starting lineup, gets 14 points and 10 boards against the Rockets.

Two more games left in November and we win the first one 107-88 over the Hornets as Chauncey Billups scores 33 points and dishes 12 assists while stealing 4 balls, Ben Gordon a great second with 26 points and 7 rebounds. Peter John Ramos scores a watery 10 off the bench.

Much to my surprise, we beat the Cavs easily in the last game of the season as Ben Gordon scores 33 and takes in 8 boards, while Chauncey Billups has his umpteenth double-double with 26 points and 10 assists.

So despite being Shaq-less, we're 10-5 at the start of November, leading the Northwest by half a game over the 9-5 Timberwolves and Trailblazers. My guess is we'll end up 3rd in the division by the end of the season and take one of the lower playoff seeds, but the way we're playing now, we might actually end up division champs.

31 more days till we get Shaq back, 123 until AI returns. In the meantime, Ben Gordon is 5th in scoring with a 26.9 points per game average and Chauncey Billups is 11th at 24.1 and 4th in assists at 9.5.

Our rebounding is terrible as you might expect and none of our rookies are lighting things up. Then again, Leroy Wright isn't really ready to be a starting NBA player and Paulinho Buboltz is still just 18.

They'll be fine and we'll be fine, especially if we can get through this second month without Shaq in respectable shape. It's a lot better start than I expected, to be honest.

[duckman]

Nice start to the season, Izulde. :)

[Izulde]

Nice start to the season, Izulde. :)

Thanks. :) I'm frankly shocked by it and of course we'll probably go in a tailspin now. :D

[Izulde]

As we head into month two, I can't get Regina Spektor "Fidelity" out of my head and it's driving me crazy. But we're 10-5, so it's a happy kind of crazy.

But it breaks my ha-ha-ha-ha-heart when we lose to Miami 126-115 to start December, especially since Kenyon Martin double-doubled with 20 points and 11 rebounds and Paulinho Buboltz had a truly breakout performance with 21 points from the bench. Then again, the Heat have an impressive backcourt of their own in Ray Allen, who hit us for 40 points and Dwayne Wade, who torched us for 31.

No problem, as we rebound against Orlando in a 109-87 win spearheaded by 26 and 24 points respectively by Ben Gordon and Chauncey Billups. Leroy Wright just misses out on his first career double-double with 14 points and 9 rebounds.

102-89 loss to the Wizards and I'm thinking it's going to be a ping-pong month. Leroy Wright finally got his first double-double but it was a cheap one at 10 points and 11 rebounds.

We get a loss I expect, blown out 112-84 by the Raptors. No highlights to report as we just get flat-out schooled. We really need Shaq back as soon as we can get him.

Then the -really- galling thing happens. Our losing streak stretches to three against the New York Knicks. Jamal Crawford, a freaking bench player, drops 32 points on us and I'm absolutely livid. So what if Ben Gordon scored 29 and Chauncey Billups 25? We allowed the Knicks to beat us.

The dry run finally stops against Philadelphia as Ben Gordon and Chauncey Billups combine for 22 and 20 points in a hard-nosed 97-79 victory. We lose again the next night to the Celtics though, as George Karl keeps tinkering with the damned lineup.

A brief respite before another doubleheader and it's another split, a 94-77 loss to Miami and a 99-94 win over Orlando, the latter powered by Chauncey Billups with 29 rebounds, 12 assists, 5 rebound and 3 steals and Leroy Wright with 11 points and 17 rebounds.

The boys surprise me with a shocking 120-107 upset of the Suns. 7 Phoenix players in double-digit scoring and they still couldn't counter Ben Gordon (45 points) and Chauncey Billups (20 points, 15 assists).

We follow it up with our first winning streak in a good while, topping Seattle 102-89 behind Ben Gordon's 29 points, Chauncey Billups's 19 points and 11 rebounds and Leroy Wright's 15 points and 12 rebounds. Wright's starting to establish himself as a legitimate NBA baller and is beginning to appear as a minor draft steal.

A few days off before a doubleheader, the first night a 118-106 defeat to Dallas despite 11 points and 12 assists from Chauncey Billups, the second an awesome 96-76 Christmas Day win over Golden State powered by 41 points from Ben Gordon and a double-double of 22 points and 12 assists from Chauncey Billups. Caron Butler is languishing on the bench for the Warriors after having been traded there the year after I got the boot from the Knicks, but with a $10 million salary, I can't in good faith bring him on board.

The joy of victory is followed by another defeat, continuing our uneven month. This time it's the 76ers that beat us, in spite of a fantastic 28 points, 5 assists and 9 rebounds from Chauncey Billups.

We have a back-to-back on New Year's Eve, New Year's Day against the Lakers and we win both of them, 116-108 and 120-99 respectively. The first victory comes courtesy of Chauncey Billups with 24 points and 12 assists and great bench play from Justin Reed (13 points, 8 assists) and Rod Little (12 points). Game Two brought the return of Shaquille O'Neal in a big way, a 28 point, 8 rebound, 2 assist, 2 block, steal way, while Ben Gordon scored 30 and Chauncey Billups gleefully double-doubled with 18 points and 11 assists. Leroy Wright handled his bench demotion well, scoring 11 as the 6th man.

So how are we looking after that month? Still in the lead in the Northwest at 18-13, a half-game over the 16-12 Minnesota Timberwolves, 4.5 games ahead of the 3rd place Utah Jazz.

I can't figure out what's wrong with the Trailblazers, but I'm not complaining that they've free-fallen to 12-17. San Antonio, my darkhorse pick for the conference, is proving me right by leading the West with a 25-7 record. The Suns are the only team with a winning record in the Pacific at 18-12.

In the East, the Celtics are an astonishing 25-6, just ahead of the 25-7 Raptors. The Bulls are really struggling without Mike Bibby, presently 13-15.

Boston's rise can be largely attributed to the following factors: Paul Pierce staying great, Spencer Hawes developing into a pretty good C and Al Jefferson having an incredible breakout season of 19.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 2 blocks to date. He's finally starting to earn that fat paycheck he got from the Celtics a couple years ago. Okay, fat's a relative term. It was a 6 year deal that averaged out to $12 million a year, but he's only making $10 million this season.

The funniest thing, however, is this: The New York Knicks are 3-27 with Carmelo Anthony. Then again, the team is awful outside of 'Melo, who's averaging 21.8 points a game. Ronny Smith has yet to break out like people expected and sure he's only 22 and in just his 3rd season, but he's shown almost no progress since his rookie campaign and has even regressed in some ways.

Lebron James leads the league in scoring at 34 points a game, Michael Redd the other 30+ man at 30.7. Ben Gordon is still 6th at 26.2 points a game and suddenly that Carmelo deal is looking like a huge advantage to us.

Chris Paul and Baron Davis are the ones to average double-digit assists at 11.4 and 10.4 respectively, our own Chauncey Billups 3rd at 9.4 dishes per game. Greg Oden is the undisputed rebounding leader with 14.8 boards a game, a full two and a half rebounds ahead of Yao Ming.

Andrei Kirilenko is starting to look old, as he's averaging only 3.9 blocks a game and Gerald Wallace, Ron Artest and Lebron James all average two steals a game, Wallace the only one to be above it with 2.5.

I'm still laughing about the Knicks' futility. It's just too funny.

Argh! I just realized I forgot to cover November's trades. I'll do that now.

Philadelphia 76ers receive:
Stephon Marbury

Atlanta Hawks receive:
SG Willie Green

What this means for the 76ers:
Philadelphia desperately needs some scoring punch for their bench and Starbury provides that. He's also quite cheap for that, making just $3.4 milion this year and then he comes off the books. Starbury also gets a chance to fly away from Atlanta, who appear to be going nowhere.

What this means for the Hawks:
Green means $500,000 more off the cap when his contract expires this year than Starbury and he's much more comfortable with a non-winning team. The Hawks should be an interesting team to watch next offseason, as they're currently almost $15 UNDER the cap and have more expiring at the end of the year.

Advantage: Draw
Benefits both teams for what they're trying to do. Not a major trade, but a good one.

San Antonio Spurs receive:
SF Julian Wright
Atlanta Hawks 2011 2nd round pick

Atlanta Hawks receive:
SG Andrew Clay
C Kenneth Holland
SF Desmond Mason

What this means for the Spurs:
The Spurs get a promising young SF in the 23 year old Wright, who will immediately fill in the weak spot and become the starting SF. His minutes were declining every year with the Hawks and he needed a change of scenery. San Antonio is the perfect fit for him. The 2nd rounder is gravy.

What this means for the Hawks:
Mason was released immediately following the swap, so it boils down to Clay and Holland. Clay was taken in the first round this year by the Spurs, but the rookie looks quite ordinary. Holland has some glimmers of potential, but he and Clay are both stuck in a crowded, young Hawks roster that has a lot of mediocre kids, save for 24 year old Shelden Williams. Apparently Atlanta's accumulating youngsters, throwing them at the wall and seeing who sticks.

Advantage: San Antonio
The Spurs address a hole and get some key youth, while Atlanta continues the destruction of their franchise.

Minnesota Timberwolves receive:
PG Monta Ellis

Atlanta Hawks receive:
PG Marko Jaric
Minnesota Timberwolves 2011 1st round pick

What this means for the Timberwolves:
Last year they picked up Javaris Crittenton. This year they pick up Ellis. But wait, it's actually a good thing, as Ellis is better suited to SG and hence, the youngster is the heir apparent to Ricky Davis. He's well worth a late 1st rounder and Jaric for that.

What this means for the Hawks:
Ellis was actually a good building block to pair with Williams and the likely late 1st round pick plus $7.6 million expiring contract in Jaric doesn't exactly jive well. On the other hand, Jaric provides veteran leadership and is the new starting SG.

Advantage: Timberwolves
Does Atlanta's front office have any idea how to properly rebuild a franchise? It doesn't appear so.

Three trades in November and they all involved the Hawks. Amazing.

Next time, we open with a review of December's deals.

[Swaggs]

Glad to see this dynasty getting more active (although I understand it probably wasn't too exciting working your way back to the NBA in the developmental league).

What are your plans for AI when he returns? It seems like he'd have a tough time cracking the starting lineup at either guard spot and your rookie seems to be holding his own as a #3 combo type.

[Izulde]

Glad to see this dynasty getting more active (although I understand it probably wasn't too exciting working your way back to the NBA in the developmental league).

What are your plans for AI when he returns? It seems like he'd have a tough time cracking the starting lineup at either guard spot and your rookie seems to be holding his own as a #3 combo type.

Yeah, it was a bit of a grind going through the D-League, but an enlightening experience, nonetheless.

As far as AI goes, I only control GM functions, so it's up to Karl what he decides to do. My hunch is he'll play a 3-guard set with Billups, Gordon, AI at the PG/SG/SF spots and Noah and Shaq at PF and C. That's just a guess, though.

Either that or he'll start Billups and AI and make Gordon the best damned 6th man in the league.

Wright's a pretty good 3/4/5 combo guy for a late 1st round rookie and he was a lot better starting C than I expected at 6'9". Before this stretch of playing time, I was thinking about not picking up his rookie option, but now I'm considering picking it up. Buboltz will most certainly get his option picked up, I'm thinking. He's very, very raw (hell he's 18 and still adjusting to the American style of play), but he's shown flashes of talent.

The tough decision will be what to do with AI's contract. K-Mart's going to get renounced for sure, but AI might well be a different matter. Depends on what happens after he comes back from injury, I suppose.

[Izulde]

Quite a few trades in December. Be interesting seeing if Atlanta continues their extreme makeover.

Charlotte Bobcats receive:
SF Josh Smith

Atlanta Hawks receive:
SG Jamar Jefferson
PG Brevin Knight

What this means for the Bobcats:
Another young, solid player to go with the rest of their pretty youthful squad, Smith steps in as the immediate starter at SG. Smith's contract is long and overpriced relative to what he brings, but he's good for 10-15 points a game and 5 rebounds on average. There are worse things out there.

What this means for the Hawks:
This boils down to Smith for Jefferson, because Knight was cut immediately (and signed by the Memphis Grizzlies). Jefferson shows flashes of potential to be a good scorer off the bench, but not much else. The real reason Atlanta makes this deal is to put themselves in an even better cap situation in the offseason and get Smith off the books.

Advantage: Draw
Not a great trade for either team, but one that does create incremental improvements for oth sides.

Dallas Mavericks receive
SF Jeff Green

Minnesota Timberwolves receive
SG Greg Buckner
Dallas Mavericks 2011 1st round pick

What this means for the Mavericks
A 23 year old SF who's both pretty good and locked up for the next four years at a reasonable price tag. Is he a starter right now? No. But he represents extremely critical youth at a position where all their top players are 30 or older (Dirk Nowitzki is 32). Dallas isn't going to get a player of Green's ability with the late 1st rounder they'll have next year, so it's a great pickup for the future.

What this means for the Timberwolves:
Buckner's a $4 million expiring contract thrown in to make salaries work. Trading Green may have been a mistake, because who replaces Kevin Garnett at SF now? On the other hand, with two late 1st round picks, maybe they can put together a package to move up, because they've already got very good youth at PG/SG/PF/C, three of four positions which are occupied by quality players under 24 in the lineup.

Advantage: Dallas
Late 1st rounders are usually average players and Green looks to be more than that. Nice pickup for the Mavericks.

Philadelphia 76ers receive:
SF Jarrod Owens

Portland Trailblazers receive:
SG Walter Killion
Philadelphia 76ers 2011 2nd round pick

What this means for the 76ers
Owens is an absolutely sensational defender already as a rookie, but he's buried on the bench. Too bad, because he looks like he'll be a pretty decent player if he gets the chance to develop.

What this means for the Trailblazers
Owens was the #19 pick, Killion the #16 in this year's draft. Killion looks awful in every way compared to Owens and the extra 2nd rounder isn't enough to justify it. Dumb, dumb move by Portland.

Advantage: Philadelphia
They get the far better of the rookies and the 76ers keep right on improving themselves.

And so we're into January the New Year looking quite promising indeed here in Denver with Shaq's return. Still 91 days until AI comes back to us.

Brutal back-to-back against San Antonio and Houston, but we salvage a split, losing 112-100 to the Spurs (Shaquille O'Neal had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Leroy Wright added 14 bench points) and beating the Rockets 119-93 behind Ben Gordon's 29 points and Chauncey Billups's 20 points and 12 assists.

Another doubleheader follows a few nights later and we barely beat out Sacramento 113-112 in Game 1 as Shaquille O'Neal devastates the Kings for 30 points and 10 rebounds, Joakim Noah gets 10 points and 11 rebounds and Ben Gordon scores 30. Leroy Wright contributed 10 points from the bench. A great road win against a pretty decent team. Game Two is a tough 99-95 loss against the Lakers, who are hitting their stride now that Kobe Bryant is back. Ben Gordon led us with 26 points, but it wasn't enough.

It's followed by a frustrating and embarassing 99-77 loss to the Timberwolves as Kelvin Moody destroys us for 27 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks. He's been on an absolute tear in his third season and should draw heavy All-Star and All-NBA consideration if he keeps this up.

Our winning ways return as we win both nights of a back-to-back. Golden State falls 98-86 to Ben Gordon's 38 points and Chauncey Billups's 15 points and 14 assists. Leroy Wright added an impressive 11 rebounds from the bench. Seattle was the second-game victim, 108-101. Chauncey Billups led us in scoring with 24 points and Paulinho Buboltz scored 18 off the bench in just 16 minutes. As I've noted before, flashes of greatness lurk within him.

The win streak continues with a 104-102 nailbiter over the Grizzlies. Ben Gordon, Chauncey Billups and Shaquille O'Neal all score 21 points or better to bail us out and keep the victories alive. (Gordon led with 29).

Our mini-streak ends with a 113-101 loss to Dallas. Chauncey Billups was sensational with 14 points and 18 assists and Justin Reed scored 11 from the bench, but it was a rough night all in all.

A day off and a doubleheader, a very pleasant one as it turns out, as we trample the Bulls 105-75 in the first game behind 26 points from Ben Gordon, 12 points and 12 rebounds from Shaquille O'Neal, Jared Jefferies's surprising 11 bench points and 10 bench rebounds from Leroy Wright. The Pistons are shut down 94-69 in the second game, Chauncey Billups and Shaquille O'Neal double-doubling with 17 points and 12 assists and and 18 points and 14 rebounds respectively. Leroy Wright just misses out on a bench double-double with 8 points and 13 rebounds.

Another day off and another doubleheader. It's an exhausting stretch of games this week, but we dig deep and run off two more victories, 114-104 over the Bucks and 109-104 over the Pacers. Milwaukee had no answer for Ben Gordon's dominating 48 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 4 steals, Kenyon Martin's 10 points and 11 rebounds or Leroy Wright's 15 points and 9 rebounds with the second unit. Great game to watch individual players, by the way, as Michael Redd countered Gordon's 48 with 40 points of his own. The Indiana game was all Chauncey Billups with 29 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds and a steal, though Justin Reed scored 10 off the bench, Leroy Wright bettering him with 12.

This time we get two days off before our next doubleheader, the one that closes out January. Revenge is sweet against the Knicks as we stomp all over New York 119-90, Shaquille O'Neal leading the way with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Chauncey Billups tops in Nuggets scoring with 28. Rod Little added 10 quiet bench points. Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 34 points and is up to 23.8 points a game but he's proven that he can't carry a team by himself and he's had no scoring help. Sure, Lebron James went through the same thing in Cleveland, but -he- can carry a team on his back. In any event, we beat the Trailblazers 98-90 in a key divisional game to end the month. Kenyon Martin gets a rare double-double of 16 points and 13 rebounds, while Leroy Wright continues to be a sparkplug off the bench with 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Having Shaquille O'Neal back has helped tremendously. We've shot up to 29-17 since his return and hold a very nice four game lead over the Timberwolves in the division, six ahead of the Trailblazers, who have fought back to .500 at 22-22.

The Spurs are still the best in the West at 36-11, but the Mavericks aren't far off the pace at 32-12. Phoenix still powers the Pacific with a 31-12 mark, but the Lakers, buoyed by the return of their injured starters, are back on the winning side of things at 24-19. All told, seven teams with a better than .500 record right now and Portland's right on the cusp as noted before.

Toronto has reasserted their dominance over the East with a 37-9 record. The Bulls are back over .500 at 22-21, but still back of the Bucks and the Cavaliers. Charlotte is owning the Southeast at 27-15, the Heat in second place at 21-26. I hope Miami doesn't make the playoffs. That backcourt of Ray Allen and Dwayne Wade is the one pairing in the league that can match the firepower of our own. All told, seven .+500 teams in the East as well.

Lebron James is still averaging 34 points a game and Michael Redd is still the only 30+ club member at 30.6. Ben Gordon is averaging an even 26 and he's slipped to 7th. Chauncey Billups has dropped to 9.3 averaged assists, putting him 5th. Chris Paul and Baron Davis are still the only players averaging double-digit assists with 10.7 and 10 even.

Nick Fazekas has played one lousy stinking game and his 17 rebounds is tops in the league. What a joke for the former Anaheim Cat. The real leader is Greg Oden with 13.8, though Yao Ming is up to 13 boards a game and is quickly closing the gap.

Andrei Kirilenko is down to 3.7 blocks a game and maybe there's a chance he'll lose his strangehold on the Defensive Player of the Year Award. Gerald Wallace is averaging 2.1 steals a game, the returned Kobe Bryant just behind at 2 thieveries a contest.

On the rookie side of things, Leroy Wright is 6th in scoring at 8.3 points a game, ironically just behind Brian Metcalfe who has 8.4. Then again Metcalfe is starting for the horrendous Clippers team. Mateen Yeaton is having an absolute jaw-dropping rookie year for the Pacers. The #4 pick is averaging 17.1 points a game and has come from out of nowhere. If he doesn't win Rookie of the Year, I'll eat my hat.

Brian Metcalfe leads the class in assists with 6.7, Mateen Yeaton 2nd with 4.7. Paulinho Buboltz is 4th with 2.7. Not bad considering he hasn't started any games unlike the three ahead of him (Dan Wessel has 7 starts to pad his numbers with).

Kyle Jordan is the top rebounder with a very nice 8.8 rebounds a game, Jonte Jones and Dan Jacobson also in the 8+ club at 8.4 and 8.3. Fourth is our own Leroy Wright, with a 6.5 board per game average. Fifth? Mateen Yeaton. They really need to hand him the Rookie of the Year trophy, I swear. If Wright wasn't having such a successful rookie season, I'd be somewhat regretting passing on Jacobson. I did really consider him with the #6 pick even though I didn't write it in.

Blocks is all Kyle Jordan with 2.2, though Mateen Yeaton again pops up in second place with 1.5. And Yeaton's a freaking guard. Granted he's a 6'8" guard, but still. The Pacers really made a homerun hit in drafting the local kid. I'm going to absolutely -love- following his career.

Mateen Yeaton also leads in class steals with 1.2, tied with Dan Wessel for that distinction. Sheesh, Yeaton's jersey must be selling out like crazy by now. Hell, even -I- want a Yeaton jersey and I'm not a Pacers fan!

But for all Yeaton's success, the Pacers are 19-25, which is still better than a lot of teams in the league and even in the East, like say the 5-40 New York Knicks. Man, I just love that.

Speaking of the Knicks and records, in my first and only season with New York, we won 22 games. It's February 1st and we've already smashed that here in Denver with 29 wins.

Ah, what a great feeling this is!

[Izulde]

Philadelphia 76ers receive:
PF Tyrus Thomas

Chicago Bulls receive:
SF Kyle Korver
Philadelphia 76ers 2011 1st round pick

What this means for the 76ers
Thomas is a fantastic young PF. 25 years old, he's showing that last year's breakout season was no fluke, averaging just over 18 points and just shy of 8 rebounds along with 2 and a half blocks a game. With Thomas and SF Andre Iguodala, Philadelphia now has a dynamite forward pairing.

What this means for the Bulls:
Korver's an expiring deal at $5.5 million a year and the 76ers selection is likely to be a mid-late 1st rounder. Apparently Chicago has decided to throw in the towel on a title defense and is going for a rebuild.

Advantage: Philadelphia
While very good to great players such as Thomas often don't bring back their full value in trading, Chicago is the defending champion and to trade away a building block of their future for very middling value is just stupid.

Defense paves the way for an initial 93-80 victory over Golden State. Defense and Chauncey Billups, who scores 36 points in making it look easy.

Unfortunately, we fall apart in a critical double-header, dropping to Utah 107-96 despite 39 points and 4 steals from Ben Gordon and 18 points and 12 assists by Chauncey Billups and falling to Minnesota 98-84 even though we had solid performances from Ben Gordon (30 points), Chauncey Billups (11 points, 12 assists[/b] and Shaquille O'Neal (13 points, 10 rebounds).

We rebound to beat Cleveland 106-102 and even our record for the month. Lebron James scores 48 on us, but Chauncey Billups scores 24 and dishes 11 assists, Shaquille O'Neal puts up 18 points and 18 boards and Peter John Ramos and Paulinho Buboltz score 11 and 10 points respectively with the second team.

Another high-scoring affair, another close win, 120-115 over the Nets. Shaquille O'Neal has his best game in a Nuggets uniform with 31 points, 12 rebounds, an assist, 2 blocks and 2 steals, while Chauncey Billups gets 22 points and 12 assists and Paulinho Buboltz continues his hot sub-scoring with 16 points.

One last doubleheader kicks in before the All-Star break and we split it, blowing away Atlanta 115-88 behind Ben Gordon's 36 points and 12 points from the bench off Jared Jeffries and falling to Charlotte 102-90 despite 17 points and 10 assists from Chauncey Billups, a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds from Shaquille O'Neal and 10 bench points from Leroy Wright.

So we're 33-20 at the All-Star break, two games ahead of the Timberwolves, a well-cushioned eight in front of the Trailblazers. We've got the narrowest lead of any of the current division leaders, but that makes sense given how good our division is.

The Sophomores beat the Rookies easily, 95-80. Paulinho Buboltz started at SG and was awful, going 1/5 for 2 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal and 3 turnovers before fouling out. He played 26 minutes, though. Leroy Wright got named to the reserves and was much better: 3/5 for 8 points, 2 rebounds, an assist, steal, and a turnovers in 19 minutes.

In the real All-Star Game, the West crushed the East 105-88. Carmelo Anthony ironically won Game MVP for the losing side. My players continue to get screwed, as Ben Gordon and Chauncey Billups both made the team, but neither one of them got to play.

Kelvin Moody started at PF for the West as he continues to have the greatest success of all the Utah Six. Recently traded Tyrus Thomas made the East team as a reserve.

A nice article came out in Sports Illustrated the week of the All-Star festivities detailing yours truly. Here's an excerpt.

Striking Gold With the Raffle GM

Three years ago, Jestor received the chance of a lifetime in winning the New York Knicks One Year, One Dream GM raffle. He instituted wholesale changes in the team, firing Isiah Thomas and his staff and jettisoning Eddy Curry in a blockbuster trade that brought in Ben Gordon. He also passed on Kevin Durant in the draft, trading down in a stunning move and eventually winding up with Joakim Noah.

Although many Knicks fans thought he'd done a lot to rejuvenate the stale franchise, Jestor's contract was not renewed at the end of the year. A two-year journey through the NBDL followed, first with the Anaheim Cats, then with the Austin Mammoths, where he turned each team into a playoff franchise and a legitimate contender for the NBDL championship.

His success in the NBA's minor league drew the attention of Stephen Crenshaw, the Denver Nuggets owner, who'd recently fired the front-office staff following a disappointing first-round exit the year after their first NBA championship.

But the task before Jestor was far from an easy one.

Superstar Allen Iverson was already ruled out for most of this year with a torn knee tendon. The entire roster with the exception of Carmelo Anthony was either out of contract or going to be out of contract within the next two seasons, including Marcus Camby, who'd been a fine-playing mainstay in Denver's frontcourt.

The Raffle GM struck quickly, dealing Anthony to, of all teams, the Knicks for Gordon, Noah and a trade-up in the draft, receiving the 6th and 29th picks for the 17th. Jestor swore that he would turn the Nuggets into winners with his hand-picked men of Gordon and Noah.

He also traded Nene Hilario and a 2nd round pick to the Detroit Pistons for veteran point guard Chauncey Billups.

Although the Billups deal was largely celebrated, the Anthony swap generated outrage and anguish among Nuggets fans, furious blog writers moaning that Jestor had already destroyed one franchise and was now well on his way to ruining another.

But then a funny thing happened.

The team didn't miss a beat, despite wholesale changes to its roster and four brand-new starters in Billups, Gordon, Noah and free-agent signee Shaquille O'Neal (Kenyon Martin was the lone holdover starter) and stand at the top of the Northwest Division at the All-Star break with a 33-20 record.

Gordon is tied for 7th in the league points per game at 25.9 and Billups averages 5th in assists with 9.4. Together, they form the most dangerous backcourt in the league, with the possible exception of Dwayne Wade and Ray Allen in Miami. Shaq has been a steady, critical presence inside and Martin and Noah, though very much under the radar offensively, have been terrific defenders, frequently shutting down the opposition's top scorers.

But what is just as important as Jestor's moves to bolster the team for the here and now is what he's done to prepare Denver for the future. Gordon is under contract for the next three seasons at a bargain basement price for a player of his talent. Billups is signed through next season, which will give top pick Paulinho Buboltz, the extremely promising, but raw Brazilian teenager time to learn and develop. Leroy Wright, the Nuggets' other 1st round pick, has been a real find, coming out of nowhere to become a dynamic three-position frontcourt player and a key part of the reserves as the team's 6th man.

Denver could also be potential players in the free agent market, depending on what Jestor does about the expiring contracts of Martin, Iverson, Noah, and O'Neal. Jared Jeffries, obtained in the Anthony trade, certainly won't be back. If he decides to release all the expiring contracts, and indeed there's some evidence from sources within the Nuggets organization that he will, Jestor could be well under the cap and a key player this summer.

There's a lot of season still to be played, but with just 43 days to go until Iverson returns and Denver's fantastic play in the first half of the season, there's every reason to believe that the Nuggets could be contenders for gold again at the end of the year.

At the very least, the Raffle GM has stayed the course of recent success with a team that has no Iverson and Anthony, but does have Gordon, Jestor's chosen one, as its top scorer.

In fact, the greatest sign of Jestor's shrewdness and judge of talent might be the following statistic: The New York Knicks, who received Anthony in that trade and gave up Gordon and Noah, hold the NBA's worst record at 5-48.

***End Excerpt***

Nice writeup if I do say so myself.

It's not a pleasant return from the All-Star break as we fall 100-90 to the Boston Celtics. I blame the SI article jinx. Can't blame Ben Gordon who scored 41 points or Chauncey Billups, who had 19 points and 11 assists, though.

We snap out of the funk with a 102-79 pulverizing of the Grizzlies led by Ben Gordon (21 points), Chauncey Billups (23 points) and Leroy Wright (12 bench points).

There were four deadline week deals. I considered getting involved to try and see if I could improve the team, but I didn't want to cut into Leroy Wright's playing time, nor did I want to risk ruining the great chemistry we've developed.

Nonetheless, that didn't keep others from being active, including the team that's chasing us for the division.

Milwaukee Bucks receive:
SF Luol Deng

Chicago Bulls receive:
C Dan Gadzuric
Milwaukee Bucks 2011 1st round pick

What this means for the Bucks:
Deng has a history of injury problems, including a torn MCL last season. He also has a great amount of talent, but one that he's never been able to fully realize, in part because his injury woes have kept him from getting into a rhythm. Still, he's only 25, signed for four years at a reasonable rate and becomes the Bucks' new starting SF.

What this means for the Bulls:
Gadzuric is $7 million of expiring contract and the first round pick appears to be a late 1st round selection. Nothing terribly exciting here for Chicago.

Advantage: Milwaukee
It's a relatively low-risk, potentially high-reward gamble for the Bucks. If Deng pans out and flourishes in his new surroundings, he could be a core player for Milwaukee the next several seasons. If he doesn't, he'll still be a respectable player as he is now.

Minnesota Timberwolves receive:
PF James Augustine
Orlando Magic 2011 2nd round pick

Orlando Magic receive:
PG Javaris Crittenton
SG Raja Bell

What this means for the Timberwolves:
The T-Wolves clear out the log jam of backcourt youth they had and get another young, if wholly unremarkable 26 year old signed for the next few seasons for their frontcourt, a youth injection they badly need. The 2nd round pick will be a relatively high one, as Orlando is pretty bad this year.

What this means for the Magic:
Bad news for Crittenton, who gets absolutely buried on Orlando's roster to where he's inactive. The move translates into $4 million in expiring contracts for the Magic, which, along with a lot of the other deals going out the window, will give Orlando room to play with in the summer.

Advantage: Draw
Both teams get a very small benefit from the swap. You have to feel sorry for Crittenton, though, who honestly isn't a bad-looking player and just needs an opportunity to showcase his skills.

Milwaukee Bucks receive
SF Andres Nocioni
New York Knicks 2011 2nd round pick

New York Knicks receive
PG Smush Parker

What this means for the Bucks
Nocioni is an extremely versatile player, able to slot in at every position save center. He'll serve as Milwaukee's 6th man as they continue to fight to maintain their division lead. Most importantly, he's an $8 million expiring contract, something that could prove critical as the Bucks try to find money to sign free-agent-to-be Michael Redd. The 2nd round pick also translates into 2.1, barring any sudden surge by New York.

What this means for the Knicks
The Knicks trade an $8 million expiring contract and the probable top pick in the 2nd round for a $7 million expiring contract that's buried deep on their bench. Makes a fan wish for the days of Jestor.

Advantage: Milwaukee
The Bucks improve themselves, both for now and the future with this deal. New York actually worsened, if such a thing is possible.

Minnesota Timberwolves receive:
PF Drew Gooden
Detroit Pistons 2011 2nd round pick

Detroit Pistons receive:
SG Kevin Logan

What this means for the Timberwolves:
Gooden's a three-position player who will give Minnesota veteran frontcourt help and a big-time rebound gobbler on the Timberwolves' second unit, something the team was sorely lacking in their reserves before acquiring him. They also get a high 2nd round draft pick.

What this means for the Pistons:
He's buried on the bench right now, but Logan's a pretty promising prospect if he can get some more playing time and is a potentially nice piece for the Pistons' rebuilding project. However, it's arguable that they could've gotten just as good a player with the 2nd round pick they gave up.

Advantage: Minnesota
Very nice move by the T-Wolves as they attempt to catch the Nuggets in the Northwest.

I'm not happy about Minnesota's smartness and I'm even less happy with our heartbreaking 115-112 loss to the Hornets next game. Ben Gordon busted his ass with 45 points and Chauncey Billups played well with 15 points and 13 assists, but I'm left wondering if maybe I shouldn't have made a move to strengthen the bench after all.

We end February by beating up on the hapless Hawks 98-71. Chauncey Billups and Ben Gordon are the bird-bashers with 29 and 25 points respectively as our defense totally shuts Atlanta down.

34 days until Allen Iverson comes back and we're still two games in front in the Northwest at 35-22. San Antonio is tops in the West still at 43-13, but the Lakers have been on fire lately and have shot up to 34-21, within 3 games of Phoenix. The Purple and Gold are going to be deadly in the playoffs, I have a funny feeling. Eight teams with winning records in the conference, the confounding Trailblazers just missing the 9th at 27-28. I really wish I could figure out why Portland isn't getting it done. They're a really talented team.

Toronto at 43-13, Boston at 42-15 are the clear class of the East. Milwaukee's holding a five game advantage in the Central over the 28-27 Cavaliers. The Bucks may be looking great in the regular season, but they're missing a legitimate PG and that's going to kill them in the playoffs just like it did last year. Charlotte still dominates the Southeast by eight and a half, but the Wizards have clawed their way to 28-27 and the Heat, who really make me nervous, are 29-29, which is enough to give them the 8th and final playoff spot at the moment.

Lebron James leads still with 34.2 points a game, Michael Redd at 30.6. Ben Gordon's 6th at 26.4. Chauncey Billups is 5th in assists with a 9.4 average, Chris Paul alone in double-digit dishes (10.8).

Greg Oden heads up boards per game with 13.8, Yao Ming his closest competitor at 13.2. Andrei Kirilenko leads in blocks with a slipping 3.7, Elton Brand #2 with 3.1. I see Kelvin Moody's 4th with 2.7. Gerald Wallace is the lone 2+ steals a game at 2.1 average.

I don't see Mateen Yeaton anywhere in the rookie list, which disturbs me. He broke his toe, so the Pacers have him stashed down in the D-League. He'll be back in about a month, thankfully, as his 15.8 points per game is still tops among the rookie class.

I have to say, Kyle Jordan is impressing me. I'd dimissed most of the rookie centers as rot before the draft, but Jordan is averaging 7.8 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks a game for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Those are great numbers for a rookie and I'd even venture to say that the frontcourt of Kevin Garnett, Kelvin Moody and Jordan is just as worthy of attention as the more-heralded Raptors frontline.

That's not to say that I'll be wearing a K. Jordan jersey anytime soon. Mike he's not and besides, I'm still enamored with Yeaton, who's still a great story with the Pacers.

[Izulde]

A quick review of our contract situation reveals that we have just 5 players under contract for next season, essentially indicating an extreme makeover like we did this year.

To help alleviate that, I contact Joakim Noah's agent about an extension. He wants $5.4 million base, 5 years, 8% raises. After some back and forth, we settle on $5.1 million base, 5 years, 8% raises. Sure, $300,000 might seem like nothing, but by lowering the base rate even that small amount, one of my boys is signed from 25-30 and even in the last year, he'll still be making $6.9 million at most. Is Noah a light-the-world kind of player? No, even I'll admit that. But he's a high-quality defender with some scoring and rebounding ability, busts his ass off to get better, is loyal, loved by his teammates and pretty popular with the fans.

All told, 5 years for approximately $30 million. I'll take that kind of deal for a significant young player like my boy Noah.

We celebrate the extension with a thrilling 124-117 win over the Pacers. Chauncey Billups scores 39 points, Shaquille O'Neal his second man with 29 points. Newly rich Joakim Noah put up 15 points, 4 rebounds, a steal, a block and 3 turnovers in his first game since signing the extension.

The Clippers are clipped 108-92 next game, Ben Gordon leading in scoring with 33 points, Shaquille O'Neal double-doubling with 21 points and 15 rebounds and two absolutely freakish bench performances: Rod Little scored 18 points in just 11 minutes and Leroy Wright had a bench doublemint delightment of 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Portland trips us 95-85 a couple nights later. Shaquille O'Neal gets the weak man's double of 10 points and 10 rebounds, but we just got plain schooled by Kevin Durant and Zach Randolph with 37 points, 6 assists and 7 rebounds and 18 points and 19 rebounds respectively. I still say the Trailblazers should be one of the top teams in the league, but they just haven't been able to do it yet.

A nice, long break follows before the most nightmarish doubleheader ever: San Antonio and Phoenix back-to-back. We get destroyed by both the Spurs and the Suns, although Leroy Wright scored 10 in both games and double-doubled with 10 rebounds additional against Phoenix. Ben Gordon scored 31 and Chauncey Billups double-doubled with 21 points and 10 assists against the Suns as well.

Charlotte's much easier competition as we win 97-89 by balanced offense and gritty defense. Leroy Wright scores 10 bench points in his third straight game. He's more than earned his third-year option, which I'll be picking up at the end of the season.

The Clippers are always a fine feast for our players and in the next Red and White whipping, Ben Gordon paves the way with 34 points, Shaquille O'Neal and Chauncey Billups his doubled men with 22 points and 13 rebounds and 19 points and 15 assists respectively. Leroy Wright had a horrendous 2/7 shooting night to end his double-digit point streak with 7.

Poor Milwaukee. No true point guard equals a 21 point asskicking against our super backcourt as Ben Gordon scores 36 and Chauncey Billups tallies 20 points and 11 assists. Let's not forget Shaquille O'Neal's 12 points and 11 rebounds or Leroy Wright's return to 10 reserve points on the nose.

The Wizards go down next, 99-86, courtesy of 31 points from Ben Gordon and 14 points and 11 assists from Chauncey Billups.

But the real fun comes two nights later when we stun the Los Angeles Lakers 120-95 and hold Andrew Bynum to 0 points. Chauncey Billups had 23 points and 10 assists, Shaquille O'Neal 21 points, 12 rebounds and 3 beautiful blocks. What -really- made this game enjoyable for me and a lot of the Nuggets fans though was watching Paulinho Buboltz and Leroy Wright. Wright had one of his better games with 15 points, but what really amazed was Buboltz's line.

Paulinho Buboltz - 14 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals, 1 block in 22 minutes

That's right. In roughly a half of play, he broke double-digit scoring, dished out 6 assists, grabbed 3 boards, stole 4 balls and got a freaking BLOCK even though he's just 5'11" 182 lbs!

Now that's just damned cool.

The win train keeps right on rolling with a 99-83 whomping of the Kings. Chauncey Billups dethrones Sacramento with 29 points and Leroy Wright contributes 10 points from the reserves.

Not even our hot play could've prepared me for what happened next, however. We top the Suns 111-103 on the road behind 31 points from Ben Gordon, 25 points and 14 assists from Chauncey Billups and, in an extremely incredible turn of events, Leroy Wright rising to the occasion after Shaq was limited to 15 ineffective minutes because of foul trouble. Taking over at center for much of the game, Wright had 12 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. I'm becoming more and more amazed at just how much of a steal he was.

Another game, another win, this time 105-92 versus the Jazz. Ben Gordon was his usual pointmaestro self with 36 scored and we had three double-doubles: Chauncey Billups (14 points, 16 assists), Shaquille O'Neal (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Kenyon Martin (10 points, 11 rebounds).

But we've got a tough back-to-back to end the month; San Antonio, although at home, and Portland on the road. We shock the Spurs 119-100 even with Joakim Noah out with an injury thanks to Ben Gordon's 29 points, 26 points and 12 assists from Chauncey Billups, 10 bench points from Paulinho Buboltz and a surprise sub double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds from Peter John Ramos. No such luck against the Trailblazers though, as Portland continues to have our number, this time 104-91. 18 points from reserve Justin Reed are the only real bright spot to this game, as Joakim Noah misses his second straight game with a sprained ankle.

Still, I'm not going to complain at all about being 46-26, not when it gives us a 5.5 game lead in the division with 10 games to play and not when we're in the hunt for the #2 seed in the playoffs. San Antonio's already clinched the #1 seed at 56-17.

We're a game up on the Suns for the #2 seed, but they in turn are only a game up on the Lakers in the Pacific division and the Kings are still very much alive at five games back of the Suns.

The best news is, if the playoffs were held today, the 38-34 Portland Trailblazers would be left out in the cold. If we're going to have any chance at making some noise in the postseason, Portland must stay home. They match up too damned well against us.

Out East, it's still Toronto and Boston tops in the conference with the 56-18 Raptors two games ahead of the Celtics for the division and the #1 seed. Both will belong to one of those two teams as the 42-30 Bucks and 46-26 Bobcats have no chance of catching either one. Cleveland's 4.5 back of Milwaukee while 39-35 Miami needs to win them all to even a slight chance of catching Charlotte. If the playoffs were held today, the defending champion Chicago Bulls would be going home and honestly, at 31-41, they've got way too much ground to make up to the 37-37 New Jersey Nets, who hold the 8th and final seed at present.

And now it's time for a good laugh!

The New York Knicks are still chasing double-digit wins at 7-64.

Lebron James is the lone player over 30 points a game on average, with 33.7. Ben Gordon is 6th at 26.5. Interesting note for the Miami vs. Denver best backcourt debate: The Heat guards, Dwayne Wade and Ray Allen, rank 4th and 7th with 27.6 and 26.3 points respectively.

Chris Paul still holds way in assists with 10.5 average. Baron Davis and Dwayne Wade are tied for 2nd with 9.9 assists per game, and Chauncey Billups is just behind them at 9.8. Makes for an even more intense argument I'd say.

No argument as to the best rebounders: Greg Oden with 14.2 boards per game, Yao Ming with 13.4.

Andrei Kirilenko has been an absolute blocking-machine over the last month and has shot up to 3.9 blocks per game average. Can he repeat the 4 block a game average by the end of the year? It'll be close, damned close.

Gerald Wallace reigns as King Ballthief with 2.1 steals a game, the only one at two or above.

Two rookies in double digit scoring: Jonte Jones of Dallas with 10.6 and Mike Vines of Sacramento with 10.3. Remember, I almost took Vines in the draft, but his attitude issues made me wary. Leroy Wright is 8th in scoring at an even 8 points a game. Paulinho Buboltz is second in assists with 2.7, but Brian Metcalfe is blowing everyone away with 6.3 dishes per game. That's what being a starting PG will get you.

Jonte Jones also leads in boards per game with 9.3, Kyle Jordan also at 9 boards average. Leroy Wright ranks 5th with 6.5. Kyle Jordan leads far and away in blocks with 2.1.

Ugh. I am unbelievably pissed at the Pacers right now. They've still got Mateen Yeaton sitting in the D-League even though he's fully healed and averaging 25.7 points a game for Albuquerque.

I'm tempted to call up Indiana this offseason and find out what it takes to get Yeaton. This is just stupid and the fanbase shouldn't stand for it.

In happier news....

Allen Iverson comes back in two days!!!!!!

He'll probably miss the game against Golden State, but then we'll have nine games in which to get him back up to playing speed and in sync with this wholly new team for the playoffs.

It's going to be an interesting final set of games, that's for sure.

[Swaggs]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how Iverson's return works. It seems like things are going pretty smoothly right now, so hopefully he doesn't rock the boat.

Any indication from ownership on whether or not they are pleased with your performance? Can you get multiyear deals in this game?

[cubboyroy1826]

I think i get more into reading your dynasty than playing my own. I might consider starting up a new dynasty with an expansion team. Keep up the great work.

[Izulde]

Swaggs: Nope, there's no indication either way and you aren't signed to an actual contract in the game. It's a year-to-year sort of thing. As far as AI goes, how he works in terms of our chemistry is going to be a big question mark.


cubbyroy1826: Wow, I'm glad to hear it! :) Seeing an expansion dynasty would be interesting. I have to restart my 1900 Zeroed Out dynasty because of a problem I ran into with it.

[Izulde]

Joakim Noah is still hobbled by his sprained ankle by our first game, but Allen Iverson is ready to go. George Karl's lineup is a stunner:

PG Ben Gordon
SG Allen Iverson
SF Leroy Wright
PF Kenyon Martin
C Shaquille O'Neal
6th Chauncey Billups

He's putting the ignitor of our offense on the bench?! If our owner wasn't such an ass about money, I'd have fired him on the spot.

We have a doubleheader to open April and win 132-110 in the first game over the Grizzlies. Allen Iverson makes a triumphant debut of 46 points to go with Shaquille O'Neal's 13 points and 13 rebounds and 13 and 10 reserve points respectively from Chauncey Billups and Peter John Ramos. Game two is an infuriating 126-122 loss to the Hornets despite 25 points and 10 assists from Ben Gordon and 20 bench points from Chauncey Billups.

Another back-to-back kicks off a couple nights later and we drop the front end 116-100 to the Timberwolves in a game with major playoff implications. 10 rebounds from sub Peter John Ramos, who is quietly playing his way to consideration for another contract. We bounce back to win the back end 132-123 over the Sonics, however, Allen Iverson scoring 43, Ben Gordon with 30 points and Chauncey Billups lighting things up with 25 points from the bench.

If nothing else, we're a high-powered offensive team right now, even though our defense is really suffering, some of which I suspect is due to Joakim Noah's injury.

Allen Iverson is otherworldly with 46 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds and 5 steals in a 113-97 victory over Golden State next game and Chauncey Billups has 11 bench points, but I'm noticing that Ben Gordon's committing a lot of turnovers and really looks uncomfortable running the point. In my opinion, it's disrupting the quality of our team play and is another point in the column of not retaining AI after this year.

Joakim Noah finally comes back, but the Hornets still sting us 107-97. Leroy Wright scored 10 with the reserves, but by and large, we just didn't have it tonight and Ben Gordon really looks like he's struggling out there.

We need one victory in our remaining four games, which are two back-to-backs, to clinch the division and we'll probably need more than that to get the #2 seed in the playoffs, because the Suns are just a game behind us in that category.

The division clincher comes with an easy 111-78 victory over the Grizzlies. A balanced offense, including 15 second unit points from Chauncey Billups does it. More importantly, we sweep the first doubleheader by knocking out the Rockets 107-97. Allen Iverson does it almost singlehandedly, scoring 45.

Unfortunately, we lose both games in the final doubleheader, 108-96 to Phoenix and 93-82 to our archrivals, the Trailblazers. Allen Iverson scored 31 in the Suns game, Leroy Wright with 10 reserve rebounds. Chauncey Billups was the lone Portland highlight with 14 points off the bench.

We finish 51-31 on the other year, capturing the Northwest Division title and locking up at least the #3 seed.

Playoff Teams - West (In Order of Wins)
San Antonio Spurs - 64-18
Dallas Mavericks - 52-30
Denver Nuggets - 51-31
Houston Rockets -51-31
Phoenix Suns - 50-32
Los Angeles Lakers - 49-33
Minnesota Timberwolves - 48-34
Sacramento Kings - 45-37

No Portland (43-39)! Hooray!!!!

Playoff Teams - East (In Order of Wins)
Toronto Raptors - 65-17
Boston Celtics - 60-22
Charlotte Bobcats - 53-29
Philadelphia 76ers - 49-33
Milwaukee Bucks - 48-34
Cleveland Cavaliers - 43-39
Miami Heat - 43-39
Washing Wizards -39-43

Lebron James wins the scoring title with 33.5 points a game, though Allen Iversonwas just behind at 33.1. Ben Gordon finished 8th at 25.9.

Chris Paul took the assists with 10.6, although Baron Davis (10.1) and Dwayne Wade (10) also averaged double-digits. Chauncey Billups dropped to 9.2 after the asinine demotion and finished 6th.

Greg Oden was the top rebounder, a 14.1 per game average, Yao Ming second with 13.3, but most importantly Andrei Kirilenko fought back and finished with 4 blocks a game even.

Allen Iverson stole the steals average title with 2.5, Gerald Wallace the only other above two with 2.1.

YES! The Pacers bring back Mateen Yeaton and he blows away everyone else in the rookie scoring title with 17 points on average. Jonte Jones and Mike Vines averaged 10.8 points, #1 pick Jeremy Lemons the final in double-digits with 10.2. I still have a hard time believing the Magic took Lemons, who isn't that good. Leroy Wright was 10th, averaging 7.8 points and probably won't make an All-Rookie team.

Brian Metcalfe averaged 6.3 assists, Mateen Yeaton second with 4.6. Paulinho Buboltz was third at 2.5 assists a game. Jonte Jones led in rookie rebounding with 9.4 boards, the only first-year above 9, while Leroy Wright finished 5th in the class with 6.3 rebounds a game.

Kyle Jordan was tops in blocks with 2.1, Mateen Yeaton 2nd with 1.6. (Yeaton was also 7th in rebounds, incidentally). Mateen Yeaton also took the rookie steals crown with 1.3 average, Jeremy Lemons the only other first-year to get more than a steal with 1.2 on average.

Playoff seeding is announced a few days later.

Playoffs 1st Round
East
(1) Toronto vs (8) Washington
(4) Milwaukee vs (5) Philadelphia
(3) Charlotte vs (6) Miami
(2) Boston vs (7) Cleveland
West
(1) San Antonio vs (8) Sacramento
(4) Phoenix vs (5) Houston
(3) Denver vs (6) L.A. Lakers
(2) Dallas vs (7) Minnesota

[cubboyroy1826]

What schedule are you using? When i add the expansion franchise the schedule goes to 92 games instead of 82 games.

[MacroGuru]

Wow, how do you feel drawing L.A.?

[Izulde]

cubbyroy1826: Default. Maybe you could post on the Wolverine boards about it? Or, if you added a team before starting the game, that could very well be your problem, as you're not able to add teams once you start a league.

MacroGuru: A very mixed bag. They're one of the hottest teams in the league after getting everyone back from injury, but by the same token, I think we match up pretty well with them. On the other hand, we aren't nearly as good a fit since George Karl's dumbass took Billups out of the starting lineup. :banghead:

[Izulde]

The runup to the first round series with the Lakers involves ad naseaum replays of Shaq's "How my ass taste" slam against Kobe from a few years ago and debates over who's going to be the man of the series, Kobe or AI.

Here's an excerpt of one of the better preview articles.

"...At 37 years old, there was some doubt that Shaq would even get an offer before the season began, but then GM Jestor and the Denver Nuggets, with a vastly weakened frontcourt following the renouncing of Marcus Camby's rights, came calling with the mid-level exemption.

The big man became the one in the middle and overcame a broken elbow that caused him to miss 25 games to average 14.3 points and 8 rebounds a game. While both were career lows, it was just what Denver, with its elite backcourt, needed.

Kobe missed the first 26 games of the season himself, but upon his return, he turned the Lakers into one of the hottest teams in the NBA, averaging 26.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.9 steals along the way. 32 years old, he's still in an extended prime.

Clearly, this battle will not be won by either Shaq or Kobe by themselves. Indeed, there's no reason to believe that their rivalry will make much of a difference in the fight between their two teams. It will fall to the others, such as Denver's Allen Iverson to decide the outcome.

Point Guard
Ben Gordon vs. Jordan Farmer[u]
George Karl's decision to start Gordon at the point after AI's return has left many within and without the organization puzzled and questioning his tactics. Gordon, a perfect shooting guard who's flourished in New York and Denver, is ill-suited to run the offense and looks distinctly uncomfortable doing so. That said, he's a gifted shooter and a solid enough defender.

Farmer is a solid, but largely unremarkable PG. He's there to distribute the passes and make the occasional shot. Signed a 6 year, $40 million contract extension recently.

Advantage: Draw

Shooting Guard
[u]Allen Iverson vs. Kobe Bryant
The real marquee matchup of this series pits AI, who's been averaging over 33 points a game and showing little to no signs of his year layoff from basketball due to a torn knee tendon against Bryant. Iverson's also averaging 2.5 steals a game and while he's shown the ability to singlehandedly take over games, he's still not obtained full chemistry with the rest of the team, which could be a telling point in the series.

Bryant has energized the Lakers and turned them into one of the most dangerous teams in the postseason. An awesome shooter and a terrific defender, he has the skills to individually shut Iverson down and take away a major gun in Denver's arsenal.

Advantage: Lakers

Small Forward
Joakim Noah vs. Lamar Odom
Noah is one of the most underrated players on the Nuggets. He won't pop out at anyone of the scoresheet, but he plays great, tenacious defense and at 6'11", he's going to create some major matchup problems for the Lakers.

Odom, on the other hand, is a preplexing player. He should be a dominant force, but he doesn't show it. Instead, he's wildly inconsistent, though that can in part be explained by a lengthy injury history that caused him to miss 35 games last year and 50 games this season. When he's on, he's tough to beat and when he's off, he's really off.

Advantage: Nuggets

Power Forward
Kenyon Martin vs. Derrick Robinson
K-Mart had his best statistical season in years with 9.3 points a game and 6.2 rebounds. He's no longer a marquee player like he once was and even then he wasn't the best, but he'll still surprise you every now and then and plays hard defense, same as Noah.

Robinson is in his third season and is steadily developing into a very solid player, breaking double-digit figures in scoring this year and boasting an impressive 2.5 blocks average. He should be among the upper echelon of power forwards before too long, but for right now, the 22 year old can be burned on defense. That shouldn't be too much of a problem against Martin, however.

Advantage: Lakers

Center
Shaquille O'Neal vs. Andrew Bynum
Even at 37, Shaq is still a quality force to be reckoned with and a gifted defender, whose 7'1, 340 lb frame still gives him the ability to abuse lesser opponents and steal the game.

Bynum is one of the league's single best centers and he was on fire this season, averaging 21.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.4 blocks, numbers that have him on the short list of MVP candidates. How the battle between him and O'Neal goes will be a key factor in how things go. Bynum gives up an inch and almost 60 lbs to Shaq and the two are more equal than the stats would indicate.

Advantage: Draw

Bench
Denver has Chauncey Billups, who should be the starting PG as the 6th man, surprising rookie Leroy Wright as the combo utility reserve who can play all three frontcourt spots and pretty well[. Peter John Ramos has shown flashes, as has raw but tantalizing rookie Brazilian guard Paulinho Buboltz.

Rasheed Wallace, 35, is a shadow of what he once was, but Thabo Sefolosha is a high-quality reserve who can play both guard spots and small forward and really shut down the opposition. Hilton Armstrong is out for the season after tearing his knee tendon and his loss devastates the Lakers in terms of their frontcourt depth.

Advantage: Nuggets

Final Thoughts
Pit the starters against each other and the Lakers have a decided advantage, particularly with Billups sitting on the bench for the Nuggets. However, Los Angeles lacks big man depth which is one of Denver's strengths and the Nuggets can go deeper than the Lakers overall.

The longer this series lasts, the worse off it is for the Lakers, as Iverson will have more time to gel with his teammates and Gordon can continue getting adjusted to playing the point. For Los Angeles to win, they need to get things over with quickly and they have the talent to do so.

Prediction: Lakers in 5

***End Article***

Game One
We kick things off at home with a burst of enthusiasm and hope, but it all turns to naught as the Lakers beat us every single quarter. Andrew Bynum shreds us for 27 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks and a steal in making Shaq look silly and Derrick Robinson gets 13 points, 11 rebounds and 4 blocks to add to the crushing. Kobe Bryant started things with 26 points. On our end of things, Ben Gordon double-doubled with 27 points and 11 assists, but he was really the only noteworthy performance. This thing could be over in four.
Los Angeles 98 Denver 80

Game Two
Shaquille O'Neal got pissed after Game One and came out hot this contest, taking Player of the Game with 30 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal. Allen Iverson scored 26 and Chauncey Billups was a key part of the second unit with 10 point and 8 assists. Andrew Bynum got another double-double of 14 points and 15 rebounds, but he fouled out. Thabo Sefolosha scored 10 points from the bench on 5/6 shooting and I'm tempted to trade for the Swissman in the offseason. Good thing is, we're now tied at 1.
Los Angeles 95 Denver 110

Game Three
The series switches to Los Angeles and Allen Iverson takes over, scoring 34 points to carry the day. Four of our bench players scored 8 or more points and that 32+ points was the differencemaker despite 13 points from Rasheed Wallace for the Laker reserves. Lamar Odom torched us for 28 points and Andrew Bynum[b] double-doubled with 14 points and 11 rebounds, but it doesn't matter because we've taken the series lead.
[b]Denver 107 Los Angeles 97

A blessing in disguise. Ben Gordon strained his calf so Chauncey Billups is going to start at PG in Game 4. This could be the most serendiptious event to happen all series.

Game Four
Or maybe not. Jordan Farmer has an unexpected 23 points to lead a balanced Lakers offense, Thabo Sefolosha contributing 14 points from the subs, as we lose a defensive battle. Shaquille O'Neal double-doubled with 14 points and 13 boards and Ben Gordon and Paulinho Buboltz scored 13 and 11 reserve points respectively, but I have a strangely sinking feeling when Allen Iverson plays just 6 minutes and there's no foul trouble.
Denver 85 Los Angeles 98

The results from the team doctor come back. Fortunately it wasn't a serious injury, just one bad enough to take him out of the game and throw us all out of synch. But that's okay, we're still at 2-2 and still have a fighting chance to win this series.

Three sweeps in the first round. Toronto over Washington was expected, Boston in four over Cleveland not. The biggest surprise to me was Dallas sweeping Minnesota, as I thought the Timberwolves looked a lot better than that.

San Antonio and Sacramento are tied at 2, which I can't believe. Houston and Miami are both up 3-1 in their series over Charlotte and Phoenix respectively and the Bucks and 76ers are tied at 2 along with us and Spurs/Kings.

Game Five
This is the pivotal game and I'm glad it's at home. I'm even gladder that Chauncey Billups is still the starting PG and puts up 25 points and 12 assists, even though Allen Iverson won Player of the Game with 28 points and 7 rebounds. Ben Gordon scored 12 off the bench and I'm hoping, probably against hope, that George Karl will stick with his current lineup once Gordon's fully healed. Derrick Robinson and Andrew Bynum put in fine efforts for the Lakers with 22 points and 12 rebounds and 10 points and 12 rebounds respectively. Brian Cook scored 10 in 11 minutes, Vladimir Radmanovic bettering that with 10 points in just 6 minutes.
Los Angeles 98 Denver 107

We're up 3-2. All we need to do is win one more game and we move on to the next round, improving over last year's first round exit.

Game Six
I love Chauncey Billups, I really do. He takes over this game in a big way, with 33 points, 10 assists, 3 rebounds and 3 steals in winning Player of the Game. Shaquille O'Neal added 19 points and 11 rebounds and we're advancing to the next round!!!!! The Lakers tried a balanced offense again, led by Lamar Odom's 22 points, but it just didn't work.
Denver 108 Los Angeles 98

Nuggets advance!!!! Nuggets advance!!!

In other playoff news, the Bucks stunned the 76ers 4-2, the Rockets beat the Suns 4-1, the Bobcats and Heat are going to a seventh game...

...And the biggest upset of all.

(1) San Antonio 2 games (8) Sacramento 4 games

My darkhorse has fallen.

Charlotte wins the 7th game and the field is set for the second round. We draw Dallas, who I like a lot better to go up against than the Timberwolves.

[cubboyroy1826]

Congrats on the 1st round win.

[Izulde]

Congrats on the 1st round win.

Thanks. :) It's a great feeling.

[Izulde]

It's really, really exciting being in the second round of the playoffs. I knew I'd made major improvements to the team and had us pegged for the playoffs, but I didn't think we'd do better than a one and done.

But here we are against the Dallas Mavericks. I'll snippet the same paper as last time.

"Just as we predicted, an extended series spelled doom for the Lakers and Denver did a fantastic job of shutting Kobe Bryant down.

Now the Nuggets move on to (2) Dallas and the Mavericks promise another good series after squashing an excellent Minnesota squad in four games.

Point Guard
Chauncey Billups/Ben Gordon vs. Jason Terry
There's no denying the Nuggets run much more effectively with Billups at the helm of the offense, but George Karl insists on starting Gordon when he's healthy. Compare the numbers from the first round: Gordon averaged 17 points with 5 and a half assists, compared to Billups, who averaged 15 points and 7 assists. More to the point: Billups had a 3.9 A/TO ratio, Gordon 1.6.

Terry is one of the most underrated PGs in the league. He can shoot, pass and defend very well and the 33 year old shows no sign of aging. He's been dazzling so far in the postseason, averaging 24 points and 10 assists a game.

Advantage: Mavericks

Shooting Guard
Allen Iverson vs. Josh Howard
AI has been terrific in the playoffs, leading the Nuggets with a 22 point game average, playing dynamite defense and handling the ball very efficiently. He did a brilliant job of limiting Kobe Bryant in the first round and if Denver hopes to advance, he'll need to continue his superlative play.

Howard has never developed into the player his kind of talent suggests he should have, but he still plays respectable defense, is good for 16 points a game and half a dozen boards. It'll be a tough series for him to go against Iverson however and he'll probably need some help on defense.

Advantage: Nuggets

Small Forward
Joakim Noah vs. Dirk Nowitzki
Noah will have one mission and one mission only this series: use his height and defensive prowess to contain the 7' last season's MVP Nowitzki. If he can do that, Denver has a very good chance of winning.

A sore wrist hasn't slowed Nowitzki down any, as he's averaging 24 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal and nearly 2 blocks a game in this playoffs and he had a lot more skilled opponent in Kevin Garnett in the opening round. Dirk may well be the Denver-slayer.

Advantage: Mavericks

Power Forward
Kenyon Martin vs. Jeff Green
Much like Noah, Martin's only task will be to play defense. The good thing for Denver is that Green isn't much of an offensive threat, so K-Mart should be able to slide over and help Noah against Nowitzki.

Green's a decent young player, with some respectable all-around skills, but there's nothing that really stands out about him. Anything the Mavericks get from him this series will be gravy. Much better suited to the second unit, where he can provide an offensive sparkplug off the bench.

Advantage: Nuggets

Center
Shaquille O'Neal vs. Jonte Jones
The Big O is averaging 16 points and 9 rebounds in the postseason and he gets a tantalizing matchup in the rookie Jones. Shaq's extensive playoff experience and veteran smarts could be a major, major advantage for Denver here.

Jones has been a very pleasant surprise in the playoffs, averaging 13 points and 9 rebounds himself, but although he's a superior rebounder to Shaq at this stage in O'Neal's career, the rookie's defense needs serious work and at 6'11", 260 lbs, there's a very good chance he could get abused by the wily Shaq.

Advantage: Nuggets

Bench
Whichever of Billups or Gordon is the 6th man will provide major headaches for the Mavericks. Surprise rookie Leroy Wright is averaging 5 points, 5 rebounds, a block and a steal and can play respectable D.

Bobby Simmons is one of the most underrated players in the league and a nice offensive sparkplug, averaging almost 8 points from the bench. Devin Harris is a textbook PG, who can play D and 2nd year big-man Daniel Wilder adds to the Mavericks' solid rebounding corps.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
It'll be a close series most likely, one that could go the full seven games. The Mavericks have a huge edge in rebounding, but the Nuggets have both the defensive stoppers and the offensive firepower to counter Dallas. Shaquille O'Neal will likely be the deciding factor of this series. If he has the type of outing he's capable of against the relatively soft Dallas interior defense, the Nuggets win. If not, it'll be the Mavericks.
Prediction: Nuggets in 6

Ouch. We're favored. I hate it when that happens, because that puts pressure on us and creates expectations. Still, maybe we'll prove worthy of the billing.

Game One
I cringe when I see Ben Gordon starting at PG, but it's no problem after all as he scores 34 with 5 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals. Allen Iverson adds 26 and it's enough to punch out the Mavericks despite 14 points and 10 rebounds from Jonte Jones and 10 bench points out of Bobby Simmons. It's always critical to win the first game in a series like this. Especially on the road.
Denver 110 Dallas 96

Game Two
Allen Iverson dominated this game with 34 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals and Chauncey Billups scored 14 with the reserves, but the real story of the game was Shaquille O'Neal with a double-double of 19 points and 10 rebounds. True, Jonte Jones and Dirk Nowtizki had double-doubles, Jones with 17 points and 10 rebounds, but Nowitzki had just 11 points on 3 for 20 shooting and 10 rebounds. Those 11 points were half of the 22 Dirk had in Game One and Joakim Noah and Kenyon Martin are really giving him a rough time of it. Bobby Simmons had 13 points, Devin Harris 12 to as the Mavericks' second unit outplayed ours, but it didn't matter as we played absolutely stellar team defense, frustrating Dallas' shooters all night and coming away with an stellar 2-0 advantage heading back to Denver.
Denver 106 Dallas 85

Game Three
Jason Terry took Player of the Game with 28 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds and a steal and Jonte Jones had an impressive 19 points, 17 rebounds, 2 steals and 2 blocks, Bobby Simmons and Daniel Wilder playing great with 10 points and 11 points and 8 rebounds respectively off the bench. But it wasn't enough as Shaquille O'Neal put up 23 points and 13 rebounds, Allen Iverson had a great all-around game of 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals and Ben Gordon torched the Mavericks for 30 points to snatch the close victory and put us one game away from a sweep. Joakim Noah and Kenyon Martin continue to frustrate Dirk Nowtizki, limiting him to 8 points on a 3 for 15 night.
Dallas 97 Denver 105

Game Four
George Karl pulled a fast one on the Mavericks and delighted me by starting Chauncey Billups at PG. Billups went on to score 13 and dish out 10 assists, but Allen Iverson was the key to the game with 31 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Shaquille O'Nealwas no slouch either with 23 points. Jason Terry did his best with 18 points and 10 assists for the Mavericks and Dirk Nowtizki and Josh Howard scored 20 and 21 points respectively, but it wasn't enough. Jonte Jones had his worst outing of the series with 6 points and 12 assists and Jeff Green was held to 0 points.
Dallas 85 Denver 101

We've swept the Mavericks!!!! We're going to the Western Conference finals!!!!

We already know who our opponents are. It's another Texas team, as the Houston Rockets swept the upstart Sacramento Kings. Over in the East, Toronto flawlessly eliminated the Bucks 4-0, while the Bobcats hold a 3-1 edge over the Celtics.

An edge that turns into a 4-1 series victory and establishes this year's pro Final Four.

One of four teams left in the playoffs. Oh how sweet it is.

[Izulde]

If you'd have told me before the season that we'd end up in the Western Conference finals, I'd have said thanks for the confidence and privately thought you drinking Kool-Aid laced with something bad for the brain.

But here we are and the Rockets aren't the worst draw in the bracket for us in my opinion. Of course, they're not going to be pushovers, but I feel like we've got a shot.

Usual preview writer excerpt.

"That the Denver Nuggets have advanced this far is a testament to GM Jestor's foresight in acquiring Chauncey Billups, Ben Gordon and Joakim Noah, his signing Shaquille O'Neal and resisting the temptation to trade the injured Allen Iverson and his expiring contract.

They looked impressive in sweeping the Mavericks, Dirk Nowitkzi publically crediting Noah and Kenyon Martin's double-teaming defense for "making shooting a frustrating experience".

But can they beat Yao Ming and the Rockets to advance to the NBA Finals for the second time in three years? Houston has looked impressive in the playoffs, knocking off Phoenix in five and sweeping upset-minded Sacramento. Denver could well represent the first real test for Yao's team.

Point Guard
Chauncey Billups/Ben Gordon vs. Mike Bibby
Billups and Gordon make a formidable one-two punch at the point, the former an excellent, pure PG who masterfully runs the Nuggets offense, the latter a sharpshooter who has looked more and more comfortable as the floor general the more games he's played there. Billups is averaging 14.2 points and 7.5 assists this postseason, Gordon 17.1 points and 5.4 assists.

Bibby really needs no introduction, having single-handedly willed the Bulls to the NBA title last year. He's one of the top PGs in the entire NBA, a consistent All-NBA selection who's been on fire in the playoffs, averaging 21.9 points and 7.2 assists.

Advantage: Draw

Shooting Guard
Allen Iverson vs. Richard Hamilton
AI's return intially caused some chemistry and flow problems in the Nuggets offense despite his initial stardom, but Denver's now got him fully integrated in the offense and the team's been firing on all cylinders. He leads the team with 24.4 points in this playoffs and has 5.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists and nearly 2 steals a game to go with it, an all-around performance that's been nothing short of genius.

It's hard to think of a more underrated player than Hamilton. Most casual NBA observers are surprised to see him scoring 20 points a game and two All-Star bids, but they're there and the 32 year old is a match for a lot of SGs in the league, but then, AI isn't a lot of SGs.

Advantage: Nuggets

Small Forward
Joakim Noah vs. Hakim Warrick
Neither one of these players is a dynamite scorer, although Noah's averaging 8 points and 5 rebounds a game in the postseason. It's Noah's defense that's critical to the Nuggets' plans and he'll probably be used in some type of help against one of the Rockets' higher-octane scorers.

Warrick's averaging 10 points and 5 rebounds in the playoffs and he's similiar to Noah in a lot of ways. Not quite as good on defense or stripping the ball, but a much better shotblocker and more disciplined in the foul game. He'll likely be pitted against AI, as he's the best of the non-bigs on defense for the Rockets.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Kenyon Martin vs. Brandan Wright
Martin isn't going to be asked to a single thing other than be a shutdown defender.

The 22 year old Wright has the talent to be an offensive star, but can't seem to put it together, averaging just 10.3 points in the postseason, which is actually better than his nondescript regular season performances. What Brandan -has- accomplished, however, is excellent defensive skills and he's averaging over a steal and nearly a block a game in the playoffs. If he can finally get untracked on offense, the Rockets will have yet another bullet in their already formidable gun.

Advantage: Rockets

Center
Shaquille O'Neal vs. Yao Ming
Shaq abused the rookie Jonte Jones in the last series, pushing his scoring average in the playoffs up to 18 points a game and holding steady at 9 rebounds. His size and playoff experience have been huge assets to Denver, as he's yet to meet an opposing big man that can fully contain him.

At 7'6, 310 lbs, Yao is one of the few centers in the league that can hold his own against Shaq sizewise. That Yao is averaging 20.7 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in the playoffs make this even more of a mismatch, much as we love Shaq around here.

Advantage: Rockets

Bench
Billups or Gordon will again continue to be an offensive force to watch out for, though we've gradually grown less and less impressed with the rest of the Nuggets bench as the postseason's worn on, with the exception of Leroy Wright, who's shown much better defensive skills off the bench than we'd anticipated.

Shane Battier is one of the premiere defensive players in the NBA and he's averaging a steal and a half and 2 blocks... from the bench. The 8.4 points is a nice bonus. B.J. Whitehead's output is similar to Wright's, but with none of Wright's defensive skills. Chezley McCleary has mad rebounding hops and the third-year player should see more minutes against the board-starved Nuggets.

Advantage: Rockets

Final Thoughts
This is an extremely tough matchup for Denver. The Rockets boast 3 players capable of averaging 20 points a game or more and have the lockdown defenders necessary to counteract the Nuggets' own stalwart stoppers. Worse still for Nuggets fans, Houston's bench is actually better than Denver's. This is looking like a short series, the kind that could well be another Rockets sweep.
Rockets in 4

***End Article***

Ouch. Still, they're right, I suppose. This is one fantastic team they've got and one that matches up extremely well against us... but then, miracles have been known to happen, right?

Game One
The good news: Yao Ming was limited to 6 points. The bad news: Ming grabbed 23 rebounds and Richard Hamilton and Mike Bibby conspired to score 26 and 21 points respectively. Allen Iverson was Player of the Game with 33 points and Chauncey Billups scored 13 off the bench, but the Rockets destroyed all of our other shooters and won this one handily.
Houston 100 Denver 88

Game Two
Our Big Three put everything they had into this game and by Big Three, I mean our guards: Ben Gordon and Allen Iverson had 24 and 23 points respectively and Chauncey Billups continued his great reserve play with 13 points in 18 minutes, but all five Rockets starters and Shane Battier scored 11 points or more and Yao Ming continued to make Shaq look old and finished: 24 points, 21 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and a steal. Just five points separated us from evening the series and this may have been our final chance, because it's on to Houston. Joakim Noah was shut out to the tune of 0 points and if he'd even scored so much as those five points, it might have been a different game.
Houston 109 Denver 104

Game Three
Ben Gordon refused to give up and double-doubled with 27 points and 11 assists, but Yao Ming had 15 points and 16 rebounds and Richard Hamilton continues to be unreal with 31 points. There's just too many weapons in this Rocket arsenal for us to overcome and we're on the brink of elimination.
Denver 102 Houston 113

Game Four
Allen Iverson didn't want to go out of Denver with the bitterness of a sweep and so he took in matters into his own hands with 31 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds and a steal in one of the finest games I've ever seen. Chauncey Billups contributed 11 points to lead the subs and we finally stop Houston for one shining game, Mike Bibby the only Rocket with 20 points or better at 22.
Denver 92 Houston 88

Game Five
Remember how I said the last game was one of the greatest performances I've ever seen? Well, Allen Iverson topped that tonight: 52 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 7 steals. It was absolutely incredible and the home crowd was thrilled and clamoring loudly on its feet for most of the game. Ben Gordon got in a double-double of 17 points and 10 assists and Chauncey Billups and Leroy Wright scored 13 and 10 points off the bench. The Rockets played their damnedest this game too. Yao Ming had 26 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks and Mike Bibby scored 33. It was one of the most entertaining, most thrilling games in years. This is what the playoffs should be about. Even better? We won and have clawed to 3-2.
Houston 112 Denver 129

Game Six
In Houston for Game Six and this is probably the end of the road for us. Yao Ming goes on a tear with 27 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals and Mike Bibby double-doubles with 24 points and 14 assists. But then a funny thing happens. Allen Iverson continues to shoot lights out with 36 points, Shaquille O'Neal plays like he's five years younger with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocks and Leroy Wright scores 10 and grabs 8 boards with the second unit, pairing with Chauncey Billups's 11 points to seal the deal. We're going to Game Seven in Denver!!!!!
Denver 113 Houston 104

Game Seven
At home for all the marbles and a spot in the NBA Finals. My heart is pounding like it hasn't since the first time I fell in love (3rd grade, a girl named Nikki). All eyes on AI and Allen Iverson doesn't disappoint with 30 points, 4 assists, 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Ben Gordon goes bezerk with 27 points and 10 assists and Chauncey Billups channels Gordon as a sharpshooter with 17 points from the bench. But will be it enough?... Yao Ming gets handcuffed by Shaq and foul trouble, but still manages a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds. Mike Bibby scores 21 and Hakim Warrick and Brandan Wright turned on unexpected offense with 19 and 17 points respectively. But we shut down Richard Hamilton, limiting the underrated sniper to 8 points on 3 for 12 shooting AND WE TAKE IT!!!
Houston 90 Denver 114

OH MY GOD!!! OH MY GOD!!! DO YOU -BE-LIEVE! IN MIRACLES! 3-0 DEFICIT AND WE WIN!!! WE'RE GOING TO THE NBA FINALS!!!!!

GO NUGGETS!!!! GO DENVER GO!!! AI, I LOVE YOU!!!!!

That just made my night, my week, my month, maybe even my year!!!!

[cubboyroy1826]

Wow on to the finals good job. Bet the Knicks ownership is taking some flak now.

[MacroGuru]

Amazing turn around.....lets hope management is happy with the title and forgets that you were supposed to pinch pennies.

[cubboyroy1826]

Wouldn't that suck, thanks for getting us to the finals but you spent too much, you're fired.

[BreizhManu]

Best dynasty I've read in a long long time

[Izulde]

cubbyroy1826: Thanks :) I definitely wouldn't be surprised to see the Knicks owner getting some major heat in the New York media.

MacroGuru: I've never seen anything like this comeback to be honest, not when both teams have all their top players in and going all-out. It's what makes it all the more exciting to have done it. Getting fired for not penny-pinching is a possibility, but I'm trying not to think about that just yet. :D

cubbyroy1826: Yes, that would suck, but it could happen. Owner doesn't want to spend money and doesn't care about winning.

BreizhManu: :eek: Wow, thanks for the high praise! :)

[cubboyroy1826]

Off topic a bit i just finished the 2008 season with the Cubs on OOTP9 and won the NL Championship after going down 3-0 against the Diamondbacks and then beating the Yankees in the World Series. I can understand the high you are riding, just one more step.

[RedHawk00]

been away for most of the season, wow it went really well, lets hope ownership takes the finals over the few million bucks you may have over spent...

[MacroGuru]

Alright, on the edge of my seat waiting to hear about the finals....

[cubboyroy1826]

Yeah come on enquiring mind want to know.

[Izulde]

cubbyroy1826: Congratulations!!! :) Hope we're as successful here. :D

RedHawk00: I'm certainly hoping so.

MacroGuru: Tonight you'll find out. :)

cubbyroy1826: Hell's Kitchen season finale tonight first.

[Izulde]

I'll let this article do the talking.

Mile High Dreams

Carmelo Anthony insists he has no regrets.

Sitting here in one of New York's multitude of delis on this late spring morning, the Knicks' first superstar since the days of Patrick Ewing is content with his new team, even after a season filled with debacles and disappointment for New York basketball fans ended in an embarassing 11-71 record, worst in the NBA by ten games.

"It'd be great to be in Denver right now, preparing for the Finals, sure. But I'm here to bring the Knicks back to the team it used to be. If I can help do that, it'll mean a lot more than just keeping what I had with the Nuggets going."

Anthony struggled considerably for much of the season, as did his Knicks, but both he and the team showed significant progress towards the end of the year, winning four games in the final month as Carmelo shot his points per game average up to 24.4, his highest in years.

Despite the tail-end improvements, New York isn't happy and the New York Times and New York Post have both been relentless in their criticism of Knicks owner Charles Rowen.

"The biggest fool in New York's history is not the Inuit who was swindled by Peter Minuit, but Knicks owner Charles Rowen who first sacked the Raffle GM Jestor after just one season and then was persuaded to surrender to the same GM an All-Star in Ben Gordon, an underrated player in Joakim Noah, a top 10 pick and an additional first round pick for a paltry mid-round pick and Carmelo Anthony, who has never shown the ability to singlehandedly lead a team like the truly best players in the league can and who costs almost double the salary of Gordon for not quite the same production", angrily wrote Post sports columnist Frank Wester recently.

Times writer John Regis was much more brief, but just as scathing. "Charles Rowen should be ashamed, for he has torpedoed all hope of the Knicks returning to respectability any time soon."

And yet, it is little wonder that Gordon and Noah were the ones the once-Knicks, now Nuggets GM requested from for his former team, for it was Noah that Jestor moved up to take with the number 10 pick in the 2007 draft and Gordon was the centerpiece that he shipped a package that included Eddy Curry to Chicago for.

"Gordon and Noah are my boys", Jestor admitted in an e-mail interview, "I've always thought Ben didn't get the recognition he deserves and Noah's the kind of hard-working player with tremendous collegiate success and heart that I like in my draftees. They're fantastic players to build, or in the case of the Nuggets, to bolster a team with."

Indeed, it is only fitting that the two years in which Gordon was named to the All-Star team were the two years in which Jestor traded for him.

Not that the sharpshooting guard and the ace young defender object to being called Jestor's Boys. In fact, it became the basis for a deep and close friendship between the two men.

"Me and Ben, we hung out a lot and worked out a lot together this summer after we got the news we'd been traded to Denver. Jestor has a lot of faith in us and we vowed we would reward that faith by busting our butts and being the best we could", Noah said.

These sentiments of gratitude and a burning desire to reward the GM's confidence is also found in Leroy Wright, the Nuggets' second first-round selection in the draft with the 29th pick.

"Jestor called to tell me they were drafting me and that he was damned glad I was still there because they built their entire draft around my being there at 29. When he said that, I just got this lump in my throat and I told him I'd do whatever it took to make him proud of me", Wright said after a practice session last week.

Jestor certainly should be proud of Wright as the rookie came from out of nowhere to become one of the team's most versatile players, able to play the three, four and five and doing a remarkably adequate job filling in as the starting center for a month while Shaquille O'Neal was out with a broken elbow. For most of the season, he's served as the team's 6th man and is still the first one off the bench when Noah, Shaq or Kenyon Martin need a breather.

Part of Wright's rapid development can be attributed to another of Jestor's changes; the complete replacement of head coach George Karl's assistants. In what many said was a publicity stunt, the GM overrode Karl's protests and brought in former NBA stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Detlef Schrempf as the top assistants and former three-time All-Defense NBA player Lionel Hollins as the third man.

"Leroy was calling or talking to at least one of us every day, either me, Detlef, Lionel, Shaq, Kenyon or Joakim, picking our brains and absorbing everything he could from us. He's a hard-working kid who has a real passion to get better", Abdul-Jabbar noted.

Noah cites Hollins's influence as really helping him to further hone his skills on defense and the Nuggets ranked 16th in points allowed this season, a perfect respectable statistic given how much Denver relies on its offense to win games.

The Nuggets will need all of that offense if they hope to beat the team they're facing in the NBA Finals, because the Toronto Raptors allowed the fewest points per game in the regular season at 91.3 and were fourth in points scored at 103, ahead of even Denver, who average 102.9 points an outing.

In fact, it shapes up to be a thrilling series of opposing team styles and philosophies.

Point Guard
Ben Gordon vs. T.J. Ford
Gordon took time to adjust to playing the point, but now he seems to have found his rhythm and is proving to be a real asset on the court with his passing as well as his famed shooting abilities. In spite of missing four starts with a strained calf earlier in the playoffs, he's still averaging almost 19 points and 6.5 assists going into the Finals.

Ford is a pure point guard whose only task is to run the offense and generate turnovers with his stealing abilities. He does an excellent job with both, averaging 8.3 assists and over a steal this playoffs. The 12 points per game has been a very nice bonus. Still, he's going to have a difficult time stopping Gordon.

Advantage: Nuggets

Shooting Guard
Allen Iverson vs. Larry Hughes
It doesn't need to be said that without AI, the Nuggets don't pull off the amazing upset in coming back from a 3-0 deficit to upset the heavily favored Rockets in the Western Conference finals. 28 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5 assists and 2.2 steals a game in this playoffs. He's arguably going to be the best, most complete player on the court night in and night out.

Hughes was heralded as a great free agent signing for the Raptors and he's been precisely that, filling in Toronto's biggest void. A very good defender with excellent stealing instincts, he's averaging 12.3 points and 1.7 steals in the playoffs. He'll need to limit AI if Toronto wants to win the title.

Advantage: Nuggets

Small Forward
Joakim Noah vs. Andrea Bargnani
All Denver wants Noah to do is play lights-out defense and he's done that throughout the playoffs, shutting down Dirk Nowtizki in the second round and making the Rockets players fight for their shots in the conference finals.

The 26 year old Bargnani is the least heralded of the Raptors feared frontline, but he's been sensational in the postseason, averaging 18.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3 assists, 1.2 steals and almost 2 blocks a game. Noah will have his hands full defending him, that's for certain.

Advantage: Raptors

Power Forward
Kenyon Martin vs. Chris Bosh
What goes for Noah applies triple to Martin. Just play superhuman defense.

But then how do you stop someone who's averaging 21.5 points and 8.7 rebounds against some of the NBA's best players and teams? Bosh is the second of the Raptors three-headed frontcourt hydra and he's the scorer of the trio.

Advantage: Raptors

Center
Shaquille O'Neal vs. Greg Oden
The Big O's assignment doesn't get any easier after containing Andrew Bynum in the opening round, decimating rookie Jonte Jones in the second round and battling against the superlative Yao Ming in the conference finals, but Shaq's been here before and knows what it takes to win. 15.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.4 blocks a game in the postseason show he still has the stuff to compete at the top level, even at 37.

Oden earned his first All-NBA team award last season and the youngster showed no signs of slowing down this year. An incredible rebounder and the single-best defender on both teams, he's not a shabby shooter either, averaging 18.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.3 steals and almost 3 blocks a game this playoffs. The Raptors won't rely on his offense nearly as much as they'll rely on him to shut down Shaq. The one wild card? This is Oden's first NBA Finals.

Advantage: Raptors

Bench
Chauncey Billups is averaging 13.2 points and 5.8 assists off the bench and he'll need to continue to be the offensive spark in the second unit for the Nuggets to win. Leroy Wright's solid all-around rebounding and defensive game will be vital as well.

Quincy Doby and Mike Patterson are the Raptors' top reserves, but neither one has been exceptionally impressive in the playoffs and they look to have a tough time against Denver's subs.

Advantage: Nuggets

Final Thoughts
Both teams put in the full limit in the conference finals, the Nuggets making the improbable comeback over Houston that won the heart of the nation, the Raptors suprisingly requiring all seven games to ouster the always scrappy and underrated Charlotte Bobcats.

This will be a titanic battle of styles, Denver's peerless set of guards against Toronto's equally flawless big men. Despite the presence of some very good to great defenders on both sides, we could see a high-paced, high-scoring Series, one that very well could go the distance. The Raptors have the better overall set of five starters, but the Nuggets counter with a better and deeper bench. That greater depth might be the final tipping point.
Prediction: Nuggets in 7

***End Article***

Gee, nothing like pressure there. I'm sweating and not just because it's hot and humid here. But here goes nothing.

Game One
They predicted a shootout and what they got was a gritty, defensive game highlighted by the Raptors getting second chance after second chance thanks to their ungodly rebounding prowess. Greg Oden had 23 points and 17 rebounds, Andrea Bargnani 22 points and 13 rebounds, Chris Bosh 15 points and 11 rebounds. And yet, we were able to mount a challenge, Allen Iverson scoring 27 and Leroy Wright picking a great time to double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Unfortunately, we fell -just- short. As in, five points short.
Denver 86 Toronto 91

Game Two
Allen Iverson scored 27 and stripped the ball 5 times, Chauncey Billups great with 21 points off the bench, but Chris Bosh had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Greg Oden 10 points and 13 rebounds, T.J. Ford 18 points and 13 assists and Quincy Doby just put the icing on the blowout cake with 14 reserve points. Not good. It's like we're deflated after that first loss.
Denver 84 Toronto 111

Game Three
Finally at home in Denver. Allen Iverson and Ben Gordon put on amazing shooting clinics of 34 and 32 points respectively. The Raptors counter with six players in double figures, including 17 bench points from Quincy Doby. Andrea Bargnani 12 points and 12 rebounds, Chris Bosh 30 points and 14 rebounds, Greg Oden 12 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks. The difference in the game? One freaking point and we're the losers. Not a single Nugget outside of AI or Gordon reached double-digit figures.
Toronto 104 Denver 103

Game Four
I have a feeling this is it. We've played our hardest and come so damn close a couple times to making it a 2-2 series, but we're staring at 3-0 and I don't know that we can repeat the miracle twice. Ben Gordon scores 33 and Chauncey Billups puts in 16 points from the bench, but seven Raptors break double-digits, including reserves Quincy Doby, who I'm starting to hate, with 11 and Mike Patterson with a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. T.J. Ford double-doubles with 13 points and 11 assists, as does Greg Oden with 15 points and 10 rebounds. In the end, we just simply ran out of gas against a superior team.
Toronto 108 Denver 98

Swept in the Finals. It's a damn tough way to end the season and it's going to be a rough offseason.

A lot of decisions to make. What to do about AI, Martin, and Shaq as the first and foremost concerns.

Still, even with the disappointment running through right me now, I'm damned proud of this team and what we've accomplished. At the beginning of the season, nobody gave us a chance to do much with AI out for all but 10 games and even my own expectations were a first round playoff exit.

But here we are, Western Conference Champions and though we were swept, we gave it our all against a team I've considered one of the most talented in the league for the past four years, a team that fully and completely deserves the ecstacy they're feeling as they celebrate the franchise's first title.

We'll be back again. Maybe not next year, but some day.

[cubboyroy1826]

Sorry to see but it was a very good season, one that you exceeded all expectations. Good luck on a tough offseason.

[MacroGuru]

Ouch, but you did amazing!

Good luck in the next season..

[Neon_Chaos]

I sense the unemployment line for Jestor if the Owner is a penny pincher...

On with the drama!

:popcorn:

[Autumn]

Wow, totally amazing season. Much more than I expected out of this team, and now you've got some hard decisions to make Allen disrupted the team a bit, but played like an MVP. Very impressive for your first season. Keep going!

[Izulde]

cubbyroy1826: Thanks. :) And yeah, the decisions I make this offseason will have a major impact on the team for the foreseeable future.

MacroGuru: Thanks! :) I'm definitely thrilled with what we accomplished this year, despite the sour note of the sweep.

Neon_Chaos: I'm dreading that phone call, you can be sure.

Autumn: The disruption didn't last that long, actually. Only about 12 games or so. And yes, AI's MVP-like brilliance in the playoffs, not to mention his extreme popularity, are going to make the choice of what to do about him the most difficult one. And I agree, amazing season. :)

[Coffee Warlord]

Just watch...

...You're fired!

Then get hired back by the Knicks and get back Gordon and Noah. :)

[Izulde]

Just watch...

...You're fired!

Then get hired back by the Knicks and get back Gordon and Noah. :)

That would be simultaneously sucktastic (to be fired) and amusing (hired by Knicks and getting Gordon/Noah back. :D)

[Izulde]

The day after our defeat in the Finals, I pick up the third-year options on Leroy Wright and Paulinho Buboltz. Wright was a forgone conclusion after the rookie year he had and I saw enough tantalizing flashes from Buboltz to give him another season as well.

Lottery
1. New York Knicks
2. Los Angeles Clippers (+6)
3. Memphis Grizzlies (+3)
4. Atlanta Hawks (-2)
5. Detroit Pistons (-2)
6. New Orleans Hornets (-2)
7. Seattle Supersonics (-2)
8. Orlando Magic (-1)
9. Utah Jazz
P10. Indiana Pacers
11. Chicago Bulls
12. New Jersey Nets
13. Golden State Warriors
14. Portland Trailblazers

Big-time win by the Clippers, who already have a solid young PG in Brian Metcalfe from last year and legit gamers in 31 year olds Corey Maggette and Elton Brand. The Clips could see a return to the playoffs this year if they make the right choice at #2.

Of course, I'm a little nervous about the omen of the Knicks with the first overall pick. The last time that happened, I got fired.

New York can't afford to blow this pick, in my opinion. Sure Ronny Smith is only 22 and has tremendous talent, but after three seasons in the NBA, he's still looking stagnant in terms of his production.

Of course, this being the Knicks, they probably will.

NBA Awards

MVP
Yao Ming - Houston Rockets - 24.2 ppg 13.3 rpg 2.6 apg 1.2 bpg 0.9 spg
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - 13.5 ppg 6.6 rpg 3.1 apg 4.0 bpg 1.4 spg
Rookie of the Year
Jonte Jones - Dallas Mavericks - 10.8 pg 9.4 rpg 2.3 apg 0.9 bpg 0.9 spg
6th Man of the Year
Darko Milicic - Orlando Magic - 7.3 ppg 8.1 rpg 1.9 apg 1.2 bpg 0.8 spg
Coach of the Year
Gregg Popovich - San Antonio Spurs

Although I'm a little pissed that Mateen Yeaton didn't get Rookie of the Year, I can see the reasoning behind Jones, who played all 82 games and helped take the Mavericks to the second round of the playoffs. Darko as 6th Man of the Year strikes me as really funny, though I don't know why. AK maintains his strangehold on Defensive Player of the Year.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
PF Elton Brand - Los Angeles Clippers
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Michael Redd - Milwaukee Bucks
SF Paul Pierce - Boston Celtics
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves (The first Utah Sixer to earn All-NBA recognition and in his 3rd season!)
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
SG Tracy McGrady - Sacramento Kings
SF Kevin Durant - Portland Trailblazers
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

Ben Gordon got screwed again. I'm reminded I need to update on the Utah Six, though.

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Tracy McGrady - Sacramento Kings
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
C Marcus Camby - Cleveland Cavaliers

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Brian Metcalfe - Los Angeles Clippers
SG Mateen Yeaton - Indiana Pacers
SF Jeremy Lemons - Orlando Magic
PF Leroy Wright - Denver Nuggets
C Jonte Jones - Dallas Mavericks

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Dan Wessel - Seattle Supersonics
SG Jamar Jefferson - Atlanta Hawks
SF Courtney Jones - Atlanta Hawks
PF Kevin Thomas - Phoenix Suns
C Dan Jacobson - Washington Wizards

Wow, what an awesome, awesome suprise! I figured Wright had a shot at the second team, but to be a 1st Teamer is a nice icing on the tasty cake of Leroy's great first year.

The Utah Six 2010-11 Year In Review

PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
Easily becoming the most successful player in his class. An All-Star, All-NBA 2nd Team selection who finished with 18.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.7 blocks and 0.8 steals a game. And to think he was the #3 overall pick behind Ronny Smith and Brandon Brooks. He's already one of the league's best players at 22 and he should only get better and better. Could we be seeing the beginnings of a Hall of Fame type career?

PG Brandon Brooks - Portland Trailblazers
Averaged 12.1 points, 8.9 assists and 3.3 rebounds. He's turning into a very nice pass-first PG with some considerable defensive skills, but at 25, how much more development does he have left? Career projection suggests that he'll be a good player, but not a great one and nowhere near franchise levels.

SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat
A half-time starter at SF which explains the drastic dip in scoring to 5.6 points a game. Other stats held steady though, with 3.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.7 blocks and 1.2 steals. An intense, high-octane defender, arguably one of the best in the game right now, he's a lot like a better defense/less offense version of Joakim Noah. Rather fitting considering they were both taken with the 10th pick.

C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks
8.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per game are only very slight improvements over last season as he once again was a half-time starter at C. It's frustrating to see a guy who's 7'5, 301 lbs not be able to do anything with his impressive height and size, but such is the case with Braun, who apparently will never be able to do much with his physical gifts.

SF Brian Robertson - Los Angeles Sea Dogs
Unsigned in free agency and undrafted in the D-League draft, he eventually signed on with the Los Angeles Sea Dogs midway through the season, starting 18 games and playing 22, averaging 6.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 blocks and 1.2 steals. Made just $35,000 this year. I honestly don't think we'll ever see him back up in the NBA, though he has the makings of being a pretty good D-League player.

PF B.J. Whitehead - Houston Rockets
Played in 68 regular season games, plus playoffs, averaging 3.1 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10 minutes a game. He has some real potential, but unfortunately he's buried pretty deeply on Houston's bench. I'm tempted to trade for him, as I think he'd be worth a second-round pick.

But first, there's the call from Crenshaw to review the season.

My stomach's churning a little, because I -know- he's going to bring up the money thing. But I don't back down, telling him I think I did an excellent job getting the team to the Finals. I pointed out that even with Carmelo's absence, we sold out of our season tickets and the playoff revenue added a ton of money to our coffers.

He does note that I spent more than I'd said I would, but the postseason monies and related merchandising revenue helped offset those costs and that he looked forward to seeing how we do next year. Even better, he told me that my job security status is unchanged.

YES!!!!! On to the offseason!!!

[AZSpeechCoach]

Whoo hoo! You still have a job! Congratuations.

[Izulde]

Whoo hoo! You still have a job! Congratuations.

Thanks. :) I was pretty amped myself.

[Izulde]

I meet with Crenshaw over dinner at Olive Garden, same as last year, to discuss next year's scenario.

Honestly, I see the Timberwolves and Trailblazers as tops in our division and I'm not sure if we'll have the werewithal to be able to challenge them, much less make the kind of miracle run we did, even I brought AI back.

Still, I think we can make the playoffs again and Crenshaw's fine with that. Then the money issue comes up over dessert and I stare into my ice cream. This is it. This is where push comes to shove.

"We've got some major expiring contracts, but on the other hand, we've got some holes to fill.... I think we can be right about the cap."

"I'm perfectly okay with that, Mr. Jestor."

Whew.

I've painted myself in a corner, but I think it'll work out okay. Even if we don't get AI back, we'll have more development time for Paulinho Buboltz.

Coach Hiring Season

Larry Brown jumps ship from the Knicks to the Nets, which is a good move on his part. The Knicks make a nice recovery by hiring Jim O'Brien to take over on a two year deal.

Mock Draft

This is a fantastic draft for swingmen. SG Kyle Hoiberg, a 20 year old from Oklahoma and SG Chris Gearheart, who just finished his freshman year at Texas, averaged 35.9 and 31.5 points a game respectively. In fact, the top prospects are all either SG or SF, with a PG or two thrown in. Terrible class for big men, though. That spells trouble for us.

The mocks have us taking C Kenyate Hazelton, a 22 year old blocking specialist out of Sacramento State with the 24th pick. He's even more raw than Buboltz was last year, but initial impressions suggest he has some potential.

I invite Hazelton, along with some others that I have my eye on for our 1st round spot to workouts. B.J. Whitehead is available on the free agent market, his fourth year option not having been picked up by the Rockets. This means our 2nd rounder can be used for trade bait.

2011 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. SF Georghios Kairis - New York Knicks

The Knicks must be trying to tap into the Grecian market here with Kairis. He's a decent player, but to pass up on him when Hoiberg and Gearheart are out there is just stupid. The Clippers should be celebrating hardcore right about now.

2. SG Kyle Hoiberg - Los Angeles Clippers
3. SG Chris Gearheart - Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies and the city of Memphis would like to send a big thank-you note to the Knicks for being morons. Personally, I liked Gearheart better out of Hoiberg vs. Gearheart, so I think the Grizz got the best deal here.

4. SG Vince Murray - Atlanta Hawks
5. C Tim Davis - Detroit Pistons
6. SF Rick Harris - New Orleans Hornets
7. SG Chauncey Thomas - Seattle Supersonics
8. C Eugene Whitmore - Orlando Magic

If Whitmore would've dropped out of the Top 10, I would've traded up to go get him. In my opinion, he's the best C in this draft. Really nice pickup by the Magic.

9. PG A.J. Dunkley - Utah Jazz
10. C Phillip Gill - Indiana Pacers
11. C Danny Hamilton - Chicago Bulls

Damn. I thought sure Hamilton would drop a little bit more into territory where we could've made a play for him. No dice, though.

The analysts all slammed the pick, though, so maybe I should be glad about it.

12. SF Andrew Soloman - New Jersey Nets
13. PG Kenny Graham - Golden State Warriors
14. SF Marcus Honeycutt - Portland Traiblazers

I initially really liked the looks of Honeycutt, but the coaching staff all slammed him hardcore. At any case, he went higher than expected, a lot higher.

15. PF Tyrone Dotson - Washington Wizards
16. C Ryan Sweetwyne - Miami Heat

Fuck! I was hoping Sweetwyne would fall to us. One of the top rebounders in the draft with respectable all-around skills outside of his board-crashing wizardry. We may trade out of the first at this point.

17. C Tyler Palmore - Cleveland Cavaliers
18. C Mario Florence - Sacramento Kings
19. SF Dusty Hammond - Atlanta Hawks
20. SG Durko Jagr - Chicago Bulls
21. PG Brent Short - Los Angeles Lakers
22. PF Ron Collier - Chicago Bulls
23. PG Jefferson Flint - Phoenix Suns

The discussion that comes up with our pick is PF Brian Gipson out of Illinois, C Kenyate Hazelton, the mock draft selection for us or trading the pick.

Let's see, the staff rated Hazelton as a rookie free agent and Gipson sucks at defense. If I'm taking anyone, it's PF Lynn Shipley out of UConn, who despite being rated a 3* player by the major scouting networks and 4* by our staff, has dropped down to this level. Unfortunately, he wasn't invited for a workout so I don't have a great feel for him.

The more I read what reports I do have on him before me in the war room though, the more I think he's not the option to take.

So it's speed-call time.

Unfortunately, we only have six players under contract and none of them are guys I really want to move, with the exception of last year's second round pick Andre Egans, whose paltry $414k salary isn't going to do much.

I very briefly toy with a blockbluster trade that would've sent Paulinho Buboltz and the 24 pick to Indiana for Mateen Yeaton and the Pacers' 1st round pick the next season, but our team doctor threw himself at the table and tore the cell phone from my hand, screaming that I didn't want Yeaton because he was injury-prone as all get-out.

It's enough to make me call off the trade, because honestly, I really like Buboltz. He's saved our bacon in the Brazilian market after Nene got dealt and while he's more of a shooter than a passer, I think he'll be an adequate starting PG or SG.

On the other hand, I'm fielding a flood of calls for the 19 year old. A -ton- of GMs are interested in trading for him. I get quite a few calls about Chauncey Billups, too.

I try to put together deals that will net us an answer at SF or C, using Billups as bait, but trades for Gerald Wallace and Andre Iguodala fall through when their GMs stand firm despite appearing to be interested at first.

So in the end, I'm right back where I was when I started, holding the 24th pick and looking at players I have no interest in. My personal code of ethics won't allow me to trade for the draft rights to players taken ahead of me, either, even though the Heat are perfectly willing to listen to offers for Sweetwyne.

Finally, I bite the bullet and draft him. If I don't like the looks of him, I can always trade him after the draft is over.

24. PF Lynn Shipley - Denver Nuggets

The analysts really like the selection, but I discover in their discussion why he fell so far. He's a damned lazy ass. I'll be trading him the day after the draft's over, you can bet on that.

25. SF Samaki Hall - Houston Rockets
26. SF Charles Elleby - Minnesota Timberwolves
27. SG Rahmeen Cox - Charlotte Bobcats
28. SG Donte Smith - Boston Celtics
29. C Paul Fisher - San Antonio Spurs
30. SF Del Mickael - Toronto Raptors

I miss who the talking heads say we'll take in the 2nd round, but at this point, it's all flyers anyway and one is taken on SF Beau Rice out of Maryland. He's 6'10" and has the strength to rebound.

The TV practically explodes with fury, J.P. calling it the worst pick in the history of the draft and Chris snidely wondering aloud, "Who's running this team? Zeke?" leaving me to wonder, "Who in the hell is Zeke?"

After the draft, we get our first look at the players. Rice -does- look that bad and Shipley's even worse than I feared. Rice doesn't get a contract and I get to work on shipping Shipley out.

It turns out easier than I expected.

Charlotte Bobcats receive
PF Lynn Shipley

Denver Nuggets receive
PF Ike Diogu
Charlotte Bobcats 2012 1st round pick

What this means for the Bobcats:
Shipley gives the team a prospect to try and develop in the frontcourt. He may not get much playing time on a team where everyone is under 30, but he's a great team player and is popular with fans after he starred at Connecticut.

What this means for the Nuggets:
Rumor has it that GM Jestor tried repeatedly to deal the 24th pick in the draft, but found nothing to his liking. Now he spins it into a probable extra late 1st round pick next year and a much-needed veteran rebounding presence in Diogu, who should receive a lot more than the 8 minutes a game he had with Charlotte last season.

Winner: Nuggets
Jestor was able to turn someone he didn't want into something that'll benefit his team.

Now the hard part. Contract renouncements.

I start with the easy ones, saying goodbye to Jared Jeffries, Jason Collins and Justin Reed. Kenyon Martin says farewell, too, as does Peter John Ramos and Rod Little.

So now we're down to Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson.

I think and think and think and think some more, before letting our rights to Shaq go. He's getting old and his skills have definitely dropped.

This puts us at $1.2 million over the cap and we've 7 players signed, because Beau Rice isn't going to be on our team. So we have a choice.

Renounce AI and be $21 million under the cap, giving us room to play ball, or keep his rights and be limited in what we can do, having at most a mid-level exemption, a low exemption and min-sals, much like last year.

It's agonizing, but in the end, I have to renounce. The free agent crop this year looks too enticing.

Paulinho Buboltz, Andre Egans, Leroy Wright and Beau Rice get their tickets to our summer league team.

Summer League

Paulinho Buboltz scores 20 points in the first summer league game against the Mavericks and it's a real eye-opener. Of course, he follows it up with 3 points against Golden State, which is a loss.

13 points in Game 3 for Buboltz and Player of the Game against the Chicago Bulls, scoring 21 points and dishing out 9 assists with 3 steals. Leroy Wright is consistent throughout the summer league, generally good for about 6-10 points and 6-8 rebounds. Not flashy at all and a little worrisome considering the level of competition, but consistent.

Still, we finish the Summer League 3-2 and Paulinho Buboltz wins his second straight Player of the Game award against the Celtics, with an amazing 22 points, 14 assists, 4 rebounds, a block and 3 steals. Keep in mind he's still only 5'11, 182 lbs.

I like the looks of third-year pro PF Steven Caspers from our summer league team. Shows some great defensive skills and decent scoring touch for the bench. Definitely worth a min-sal, if nothing else.

Free Agency

Great, great free agent class this summer. As in the following names:

SG Kobe Bryant
PG Dwayne Wade
SF Dirk Nowitzki
SG Allen Iverson
SF Paul Pierce
SG Michael Redd
SF Kevin Durant
PF Zach Randolph
C Yao Ming
C Chris Bosh
SG Ray Allen
PF Pau Gasol
C Eddy Curry
PG Tony Parker
SG Jason Richardson
C Amare Stoudamire
SF Caron Butler
C Greg Oden
SF Andrei Kirilenko

And those are just the cream of the crop!

I take the above list and break it down into levels of interest.

Very High Interest
SG Allen Iverson

Considerable Interest
C Greg Oden

Fair Interest
SG Kobe Bryant
SF Dirk Nowitzki
SF Kevin Durant
C Chris Bosh
SG Jason Richardson
SF Andrei Kirilenko

With $21.5 million in cap space, we have the money to go after at least one of these guys without breaking the bank. AI's asking $16.8 million for one year. It's tempting, because we'd still have the mid-level's worth to play with, but Oden comes a lot cheaper and we can sign him to a multi-year deal.

So we offer Oden the max deal we can and give AI the rest of our cap room.

Oden spurns us the next day, taking 6 years and $93.7 million to stay with the defending champion Raptors. Oh well.

AI's perfectly happy to consider a paycut to $9.5 million, leaving us $12 million to find a good C. Oh by the way, everyone is now quite interested in signing with us.

Unfortunately, much as you might expect, it looks like all the top free agents are headed back to their old teams.

On the other hand, there's a player who looks like a perfect fit for us, who has no other commitments and his old team shows no interest in re-signing him. His asking price is also extremely reasonable.

We secure our main target early in free agency, signing PF Andris Biedrins, formerly of the Golden State Warriors, to a 5 year, $50.5 mil. deal, a controlled cost of $10.1 million a year. He's a terrific rebounder and his scoring average has gone up each year he's been in the league. Last season he averaged 10.1 points and 10.9 rebounds a game, along with 1.9 blocks and 1.2 steals. 7', 240 lbs. Best part of all, he's only 25 years old.

My guess is he'll slot in at PF, leaving Joakim Noah at SF and still leaving a hole at C.

Other teams have leapfrogged our offer to Allen Iverson, so it might be time to say goodbye to AI and concentrate our remaining $11 million elsewhere.

Now that we no longer have so much to offer, free agents are suddenly cooling to us, but there's still players worth pursuing out there.

AI signs with the Heat for $14.1 million on a one year deal, ensuring, along with Dwayne Wade's re-signing, that Miami will once again have a superior backcourt.

On the same day, Kenyon Martin signs with the New York Knicks. 2 years, $2.38 mill. Sorry guys, but signing our cast-offs isn't the way you're going to get back to the glory days.

The biggest shock of the day's activity came from Paul Pierce's defection to Detroit. The Pistons may still be old, but they just got a lot better in hurry by his addition.

A few days later, I snatch Caron Butler up for 3 years, $35.4 million. I overpaid for him, probably, but he's a fellow hometown Racine boy and we both went to Park at the same time for a little while there, as I probably mentioned before. Not to mention, with Butler, Gordon and Noah all re-united on the same team and all probable starters (Butler SF, Gordon SG, Noah PF/C, we're looking a lot like Knicks West, only a hell of a lot better.

So now we're at zero in cap room and we've got 9 players signed. No problem, we'll just find some min-sal guys to bring in.

Like Tyson Chandler, whose rebounding and defense I like so much, I sign to a 2-year min sal deal. He could potentially cut into Leroy Wright's development time, but the more rebounding and defense we get, the better. The same day sees us signing SG D.J. Strawberry to a one year min-sal. Hard-nosed kid who handles the ball extremely well and plays great D, but he won't see the floor all that much.

We have another candidate for best backcourt in the NBA when Tony Parker pulls a stunner in signing with Indiana for 5 years, $58.2 mill, the same day Ray Allen joins the Knicks for one season and $10 mill and Eddy Curry hies it to the Hornets for 5 years, $42.6 mill, thus ending most of the big name suspense.

Wow, I guess the Knicks must be convinced they're only a couple pieces away from a playoff berth with all the old farts they're picking up in free agency.

The Celtics make up for losing Pierce by stealing Shaquille O'Neal for a one-year $8 million contract and getting Bobby Simmons the exact same day for 3 years, $18.5 mill. Together they won't equal Pierce, but Shaq will give it all he has and I've always kind of liked Simmons.

Later on in free agency, I'm pleased to see B.J. Whitehead re-sign with the Rockets for 2 years, $6.9 mill. Always good to see a Utah Sixer have some success.

I'm even happier the next day when Javaris Crittenton agrees to a two-year min-sal deal. I've always thought he was a quality player who just needed the right break to showcase his skills. It's hard to say if he'll get that chance with us, given how stacked how our backcourt is, but I'm happy to have him in a Nuggets uniform.

That gives us the required 12 players and we're a very nice $2.68 million over the cap, so I stop free agent hunting because we're not likely to find any more bargains that I'd be interested in.

After the last day of free agency, I extend Ben Gordon for another 4 years, $32.5 million, which will make him a Nugget until he's at least 33. Better still, his extension ranges from $7 mill-$9.3 mill. in his 33 year old season. It's all about keeping my guys here.

Oh yes, the Big List of changed teams below. Everyone else re-signed with their old teams.

The Big List - Players Changing Teams
SG Allen Iverson - Signs with Miami - 1 year, $14 mill.
SF Paul Pierce - Signs with Detroit - 2 years, $28.7 mill.
SG Ray Allen - Signs with New York - 1 year, $10.1 mill.
C Eddy Curry - Signs with New Orleans - 5 years, $42.6 mill.
PG Tony Parker - Signs with Indiana - 5 years, $58.2 mill.
SF Caron Butler - Signs with Denver - 3 years, $35.4 mill.

Training Camp

Paulinho Buboltz showed significant strides and the fans and coaching staff are absolute delighted with how he's progressing. If he continues to improve, he could be ready to take over at the point by next offseason, which would allow us to renounce Chauncey Billups's contract.

Leroy Wright didn't appear to make any major improvements, but he showed enough that...

Denver Nuggets 2011-12 Starting Lineup
PG Chauncey Billups
SG Ben Gordon
SF Caron Butler
PF Andris Biedrins
C Joakim Noah
6th Paulinho Buboltz (PG/SG)
7th Leroy Wright (SF/PF/C)
8th Tyson Chandler (SF/PF/C)
9th D.J. Strawberry (PG/SG/SF)
10th Ike Diogu (SG/SF/PF/C)
11th Javaris Crittenton (PG/SG)
12th Andre Egans (SF)

...he was able to beat out Chandler for the top big man off the bench.

We sold out our season ticket allotment again, but I was stunned to read the season preview magazines.

They're picking us for dead last in the conference, claiming we won't be able to win without Shaq.

Un-freaking-believable. Granted, I agree with their assessment that the Raptors are again the team to beat in the East and that Portland, Minnesota and the Lakers are the three top teams in the West, but to pick us for LAST IN THE FREAKING CONFERENCE just blows my mind.

Then again, the same magazine has the Knicks picked to make the playoffs as the 6 seed.

Granted, New York is a hell of a lot better with Ray Allen to pair with Carmelo Anthony and this might be the year that Ronny Smith finally gets the lead out of his ass, but the playoffs? In an improved East? Not seeing it.

[Neon_Chaos]

I think the lack of faith in the Nuggets is mostly because of Iverson being gone than Shaq.

On with the drama!

:popcorn:

[cubboyroy1826]

I just do not seem to have time for my dynasty since i keep checking yours for updates.

[Izulde]

Neon_Chaos: That could be, but I think it's both, as we were picked 11th last preseason and that's with AI gone for all but 10 games of the year. Still burns me up, especially since we've made major strides at the forward spots in my opinion.

cubbyroy1826: I could always update slower. :D

[Izulde]

soulD over at the Wolverine Studios forums has created a fan blog of sorts to be included with the dynasty. All credit for this blog goes to him. :) The first two postings are below, the first before the NBA Finals, the second after free agency.

The Golden Mile Sports Blog
by R. McDonald(NBA sportsfan):
"So, how about them Nuggets huh?"

As recent as a few seasons ago, 'Lottery GM' Jester made headlines as the 'lucky short-term fix' in New York. As a 1st time General Manager at any level, Jester achieved a 22-60 record just 1 win less than Thomas had the previous season. Thinking forward as a GM, Jestor had made trades which otherwise would have been immovable due to the incredulously overpaid contracts for players who were mediocre at best, & were limiting the ability to make the team better for the future. From a team over the cap, and unable to move anyone Jestor pulled out some trades which no one expected, landing former Chicago star Ben Gordon. He also shed almost all the bad contracts left on the team, and even earned the 1st pick in the following year's lottery. Things however went downhill from then.

Just two days after seasons end, Jester was given the news that he was no longer to be the NYK GM by owner Charles Rolen. Though he gave the Knicks excellent future position for draft picks and also shed most of the immovable contracts, he would have to move on.

Jester followed the following year in the D-League as the GM of the Anaheim Cats. It was there that he was able to turn the team's 23-27 record into a 38-12 season, allowing the Cats to go to the D-League Playoffs where they find a 1st round exit in a heated 77-76 loss to the Idaho Buckaroo. Idaho would eventually lose in the D-League finals to eventual Champions Dakota.

Jestor would leave the team at the end of the year to test the GM Market. Unfortunately the NJ Nets job he had been eyeing had been declined due the Nets were pursuing other GMs at the NBA level to replace their current dire situation.

After seeing the job Jestor has done as GM, Austin Mammoths owner Michael Masters decided that Jestor will build his new team for this upcoming season.
With much hope, Mammoth fans watched the new season hoping for a winning season and maybe a change at the championship. At season end, the Mammoths achieve a winning season with a 28-22 record tied for 3rd place in the East. Unfortunately history had indeed repeated itself w/a 1st round exit to the Sioux Falls 97-90, who eventually would win it all.

Though it would seem that luck had always left him at crucial points, his work did not go unnoticed. Denver Nuggets Owner Steve Crenshaw offered Jestor his 2nd round in the NBA to GM his team who also had just been given a 1st round exit in the playoffs. Crenshaw was quoted after the hiring as saying, "After our 2008 Championship, then 2009 playoff exit in the 1st round, I just HAD to do something to get our team back into mental shape again. We have the potential, but mentally all our guys were spent. Also our opponents showed us quite a few holes which need to be addressed so we can again bring the trophy back to Denver where it belongs for our fans. I'm looking forward to our upcoming season where we will again get back to the top!".

Welcome to Denver, now take us to the top!

The Golden Mile Sports Blog
by R. "BigE-Mac" McDonald(NBA sportsfan):
"2011-12 Season Year of the Golden Nuggets?"

With the unfortunate 2010 NBA Finals exit of our beloved Nuggets, we look to another season hoping to reach the promised-land once again.

It's the 2011 NBA Draft night, the commisioner D.Stern comes out to announce our 1st round pick: "With the 24th pick in this year's Draft, the Denver Nuggets draft PF Lynn Shipley!" The crowd has somewhat mixed emotions, as they were hoping our GM Jestor would pull the perverbial "rabbit out the hat trick" in this year's draft as well and make some spectacular trade. The 2nd draft pick for 2011 comes up and the commish is back to announce our pick: "With the 54th pick in this year's draft~~ Denver picks 'SF Beau Rice'. " The crowd brings gives out a huge booing for the youngster, and the tv analysts denounce the choice of Jestor w/fervent disbelief(comparing him to the guy he originally replaced in NY Isaiah Thomas of all people!).

Shortly thereafter, we hear a trade was made, and our 1st rounder pick 'PF Shipley' was off to Charlotte for 'PF Ike Diogu' & the 'Charlotte Bobcats 2012 1st round pick'. WOW! Great move! I applaud you Jestor!
With this move, we get a pretty good defensive big man & a future pick as well(just gotta hope Charlotte has a bad upcoming year ).
---------
Post draft, Jestor also makes some new changes to our current roster.
Contracts for Jared Jeffries, Jason Collins, Justin Reed, Kenyon Martin, Peter John Ramos, and Rod Little are released. Though they all were servicable, fans here in Denver hope to get more upgrades in the front court to make a stronger push. K. Martin was the only one we were sad to see go, as its been a pretty good run with him on the team.

Our youngun's for this year include Paulinho Buboltz, Andre Egans, Leroy Wright, and Beau Rice. All will be given some development time in the Summer League. We look forward to greater growth from our PG
Buboltz and out big man Leroy Wright.

Then the BIG names hit. Shaq & AI were also let go. Fans were in disbelief as both were integral players in our Finals push this past season. Nugget-nation keep their fingers crossed as the Free-Agent list of this year include a VERY GOOD list of TOP CLASS players. We hope to land a BIG NAME player, but understand that we have a lotta competition to keep them away from us. Please GM Jestor, bring us a Big man to replace Shaq & K-Mart.

We rank the 2011 FA Class below by position:
PG
D. Wade
Tony Parker
SG
Kobe Bryant
Allen Iverson
Micheal Redd
Ray Allen
SF
Dirk Nowitzki
Paul Pierce
Caron Butler
Andrei Kirilenko
Kevin Durant
PF
Amare Stoudamire
Paul Gasol
Zach Randolph
C
Yao Ming
Chris Bosh
Greg Oden
Eddy Curry

Needs for our team look to be in the front court as well as 2nd team reserve players.

GM Jestor manages to sign PF Andris Biedrins to a 5 year $50.5 mil. , SF Caron Butler 3 years $35.4 mill., SF/PF/C Tyson Chandler, SG D.J. Strawberry 1 year min-sal., PG Javaris Crittenton 2-year min-sal.
All in all, not too bad, though I'm sure fans were hoping for a Bigger name stand-out inside player to help 'Big-shot' Billups and Ben-G.

Sport magazines seem to rate us a C- due to the downgrade in star players, but I'm sure Jestor will manage to get us where we belong.

The next day, the Nuggets front office gives us a possible preview of the upcoming season's team:

Denver Nuggets 2011
PG Chauncey Billups
(back to his 'natural' role at PG/SG, we look for Chauncey to be back to a higher double-double type player. perhaps back to form this year w/o AI sharing time?)
SG Ben Gordon
(our coveted SG will help out more in scoring than last year, hopefully taking on the top scorers in the league once again this year. barring any injury, this could be his breakout season?)
SF Caron Butler
(seeing his play in New York and Golden State, gives us hope he will be as promising as his career was there. here's hoping for a double-double player)
PF Andris Biedrins
(a definite upgrade in defense, how much will we miss in offense with AI & Shaq gone, may be the issue however)
C Joakim Noah
(has made some strides since being drafted by Jestor. we are hoping with the addition of more playing time, he will develop into a greater defensive board presence)
Bench
6th Paulinho Buboltz (PG/SG)
7th Leroy Wright (SF/PF/C)
8th Tyson Chandler (SF/PF/C)
(a good pick-up and big body inside. should show us some good coverage & hopefully pick up some points when in the game. helps a lot that he can spell 3 positions, should foul trouble become an issue.)
9th D.J. Strawberry (PG/SG/SF)
10th Ike Diogu (SG/SF/PF/C)
(great pickup who will be able to swing over to multiple positions. the question mark however is how much more will he be able to produce given additional playing time?)
11th Javaris Crittenton (PG/SG)
12th Andre Egans (SF)

The sports sites rank us last in our conference... L A S T !!??! I'm sure these aren't the only changes Jestor has in store for us for this year.

[Izulde]

Halloween Night for the opener again and in the freak show of Los Angeles, no less. It's a frenzied capacity crowd, because we're playing the Lakers in a rematch of last year's first round. The good: Caron Butler scores 24 points in his Nuggets debut and Joakim Noah has 12 points and 17 rebounds in his first start at C. The bad: Andris Biedrins shoots a dreadful 1 for 9 to finish with 4 points, though he did grab 11 rebounds in his own Denver debut. Ultimately that poor shooting performance costs us and we lose 93-84. Inauspicious start to the new-look Nuggets.

Paulinho Buboltz gets a surprise start at PG the next game against Minnesota and Chauncey Billups promptly steals the show, scoring 31 points with 7 assists, a rebound and 2 steals off the bench in carrying us to a 108-90 victory over the Timberwolves. Always good to get an early victory in against a division rival.

We've got three games in four days, the first two against the Jazz, the second of which is the first half of a back-to-back. Game One against Utah is a 113-110 thriller of a shootout that tilts our way as Paulinho Buboltz double-doubles with 19 points and 11 assists, Ben Gordon scores 29 and Chauncey Billups and Ike Diogu are magnificient from the bench, scoring 13 points and grabbing 11 points and 11 rebounds respectively.

The euphoria of the win quickly evaporates when Paulinho Buboltz breaks his leg during the game. He'll be out 62 days. That's really going to hurt our depth, especially since we really started clicking on offense after George Karl unexpectedly decided he was ready.

But we press on for the double-header and drop a disappointing 98-96 decision in the second game against Utah, despite Caron Butler's excellent all-around game of 20 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 6 steals and 14 bench points from Leroy Wright. Seattle proves a much more satisfying contest, as Andris Biedrins double-doubles for 13 points and 10 rebounds, Ben Gordon is brilliant with 31 points, 8 assists, a rebound and 3 steals and Ike Diogu continues his surprising run of offense with 14 points from the reserves in a 112-89 whomper.

Paul Pierce's Pistons are up next and we hammer them 113-93 behind double-doubles from Joakim Noah (15 points, 10 rebounds) and Chauncey Billups (13 points, 13 assists) along with 12 reserve points from Ike Diogu.

We get a nice stretch of days off and come back to work to a bombing, a Tracy McGrady 38 point air raid that leaves us shell-shocked and handed a frustrating 105-102 loss despite six of our guys in double-digit points, including reserves Javaris Crittenton (11 points) and Ike Diogu, who just missed a benchside double-double with 10 points and 9 rebounds.

The dissapointment of the Kings loss washes away in a tough 84-80 victory over Toronto of all teams. Andris Biedrins suddenly wakes up and erupts for 23 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 blocks and a steal in earning Player of the Game. -That-'s what I gave you the fat contract for, Andris! Chauncey Billups contributed 13 points and 12 assists, while Ike Diogu is still playing great, with 10 points and 8 rebounds to lead the second team.

Caron Butler has his turn to get hot with 32 points in our next game and Javaris Crittenton steals the show from Ike Diogu with 16 bench points as we top the Bulls 100-85. I always said he just needed to get a chance to showcase his skills and I'm being proven right while Buboltz is out with a broken leg.

Our mini-win streak crashes in a 101-83 thumping by the Mavericks. Can't blame our subs, though, as Javaris Crittenton scores 15 and Ike Diogu double-doubles with 10 points and 10 boards. Our starters just played like crap.

Chauncey Billups gets 15 points and 10 assists and Javaris Crittenton double-doubles off the bench with 13 points and 13 assists, another great game to pair with Ike Diogu's 12 points, but we fall to the Nets 127-119 in a shootout. The inconsistency of our starting five is maddening and I'm especially worried about Ben Gordon's decline in production.

Things continue to get rough with a doubleheader against San Antonio and Houston. And yet, we top the Spurs 109-102 thanks to 29 points and 14 assists from Chauncey Billups, who just missed out on a triple-double with 9 rebounds. Ike Diogu added 12 points. Even more shocking, we crush the Rockets 111-97 as Ben Gordon has a terrific all-around game of 29 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 5 steals, Chauncey Billups chalks up 24 points and 12 assists and Ike Diogu rips down 11 boards off the bench.

34 points from Caron Butler and 13 points and 10 assists from Chauncey Billups aren't enough to stall a heartbreaking 106-100 loss to the Hornets, as our bench, which has been playing so well, suddenly decides to take the night off at the most inconvenient time. What a frustrating team this is!

We close out November with a 102-96 win over the Cavaliers as Chauncey Billups gets a double-double of 16 points and 13 assists and Javaris Crittenton adds 10 bench points. Ben Gordon is actually averaging 21.5 points a game and gets 23 points this game, along with Caron Butler; I simply just choose not to highlight all his 20+ point games, preferring to only indicate the 30 or better games, unless it's a double-double or a sensational all-around performance.

So after the first month of play, we're 9-6, a game and a half behind the Timberwolves, two games in front of Seattle. Portland is again off to a confusing start at 4-10. I just don't get it. That team has so much talent, they should be one of the top teams in the conference, let alone the division.

36 days until Paulinho Buboltz comes back.

Caron Butler appears to have been a great addition. Although my fellow Racinian is inconsistent as all get-out, he's averaging 20 points and 2 steals a game in the early going, numbers comparable to Ben Gordon's 21.5 and 2.2 respectively. Andris Biedrins has been a huge disappointment to start, averaging 9.6 points and 6.9 rebounds, though he is averaging a block and a half. By comparison, supersub Ike Diogu is averaging 9.6 points, 7.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. Biedrins is making $10.1 million, Diogu $902,674.

Still, maybe there's some chemistry kinks to work out, still. Although I'm very tempted to try and find a buyer for Biedrins, I'll give him another month to sort it out and if I'm still not satisfied, then I'll explore trade options.

[Izulde]

Two trades to report on for November.

Atlanta Hawks receive
PG Kirk Hinrich

Chicago Bulls receive
Atlanta Hawks 2012 2nd round pick

What this means for the Hawks
No, that's not a misprint. Atlanta just got one of the best PGs in the league for a 2nd round pick. The Hawks looked to be headed in the wrong direction with last season's moves, but they just reversed course quickly in a hurry with this absolute steal.

What this means for the Bulls
Okay, we get that Chicago is forgetting about winning now and that they wanted to clear the unhappy Hinrich, sick of the team's losing direction, and his $8 million salary off the payroll. But why in the world do you give him up for a 2nd round pick?!. This isn't just stupidity, this is beyond a doubt the most moronic trade made in at least the past five years, probably the past fifty. This is about not knowing trade value if it bit you where the sun don't shine.

Advantage: Atlanta
The biggest win the Hawks will have this season.

Orlando Magic receive
PF David Lee
Chicago Bulls 2012 2nd round pick

Chicago Bulls receive
PG Darius Washington
SG J.J. Reddick
SG Charlie Bell

What this means for the Magic
Lee has really blossomed into a serviceable starter since going to Chicago in the New York Gordon trade. He's getting up there in years at 31, but he gives the Magic a much needed rebounding boost to pair with Dwight Howard and though undersized, he steps in at C, taking over for Hedo Turkoglu, who was actually off to a good start.

What this means for the Bulls
The detonation of the comparatively recent NBA Champions continues. Washington is roster filler, Reddick has never been a starter and never developed to his potential and Bell is yet more filler. The only advantage is that Lee's contract is now off their books. On the other hand, Reddick takes over as the starting SG.

Advantage: Orlando
The Magic actually made legitimate improvement to their team in an area that needed it and got the bonus of a probable high 2nd round pick. As for Chicago... we're still in disbelief over the Hinrich trade.

Poor Bulls fans. It's like when Jerry Krause blew up the dynasty and the team wallowed in suckiness for years afterwards. Did John Paxson not learn from that? I guess not.

In any case, I'm more concerned about us right now.

The home crowd is amped for the Miami Heat coming to town to kick off December and although Allen Iverson scores 26 in his return to Denver, Caron Butler and Ben Gordon score 31 and 30 to surpass him, Chauncey Billups providing the killing blow with 14 points and 10 assists in a 116-107 win for the good guys. Great win to start the month with.

We continue to host Florida teams and beat them, knocking off Orlando 117-109 behind 32 points from Ben Gordon and strong bench play out of Ike Diogu (13 points) and a determined-not-to-be-forgotten Leroy Wright (11 points on a perfect 5/5 shooting).

The road's not nearly as hospitable as Washington beats us 94-82, in spite of Ben Gordon's 28 points and 10 assists, 10 points from reserve Javaris Crittenton and 11 rebounds from fellow benchmate Ike Diogu. Joakim Noah was a ghastly 0 for 8 this game, finishing with a grand total of one point.

And yet, two nights later we beat the Raptors in Toronto 126-119 behind Chauncey Billups with 26 points and 13 assists, a rebounding Joakim Noah with 10 points and 13 rebounds and a supersensational sub show from Ike Diogu with 18 points and 12 boards.

11 points and 10 rebounds from Joakim Noah and 12 bench points from Javaris Crittenton are pretty weak highlights and we look just that, weak, in bowing to the Knicks 110-97 in New York next game. Carmelo Anthony kicked our asses with 30 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. Ray Allen scored 25 and Ronny Smith double-doubled with 14 points and 11 rebounds.

I'm pissed about the loss, but the Knicks are definitely improved this year at 8-12 following their victory over us. They're certain to beat last season's 11 wins and might even make a run at .500 for the first time in, uh, let's say forever.

Two East Coast doubleheaders are up next and we drop both in the first set, 101-88 to Philadelphia and 98-90 to Boston to officially put us on a three-game losing streak. Ike Dioguwas the lone 76er highlight with 12 points and 12 boards. I have to admit, I really like the looks of this Philadephia club. I could see them making some noise in the playoffs. Chauncey Billups put up 31 points and Joakim Noah got a weak double-double of 11 points, 11 rebounds against the Celtics in a game we really should've won. 10 bench assists from Javaris Crittenton weren't enough.

We end the East Coast trip from hell with two much-needed victories, 102-84 over the Heat and 81-65 against the Magic. Allen Iverson is held to 22 points in the rematch, while Ben Gordon scores 28, Andris Biedrins tries to remind everyone he's still a good player with 10 points and 10 rebounds and... what's this? Joakim Noah is on the bench and he scores 11 points, just missing a double-double with 9 rebounds. D.J. Strawberry surprises with 10 sub points himself. So who started at C this game? Ike Diogu. I'm... impressed. George Karl is really starting to grow on me. The crushing victory over Orlando in the defensive battle was powered by Ben Gordon's 26 points, a timely double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds from Caron Butler and 11 points from the ever-steady Javaris Crittenton, who may be the best min-sal signing I've ever made.

Ben Gordon and Caron Butler lead the way again in a 99-81 win over the Suns, Gordon torching Phoenix for 32 points, my fellow Racinian a great second at 28 points. Those two are really getting into a rhythm for us, which makes me proud, because they're my boys.

We roll up Seattle 102-93 for an early Christmas present, Chauncey Billups playing Santa with 17 points and 11 assists. Leroy Wright pitches in 11 rebounds from the second team, Joakim Noah adding 10 points from the bench as he has yet to win his starting job back.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are filled up with a back-to-back and we split it, winning a 98-96 heartstopper over Dallas despite Dirk Nowitzki's 41 points with 25 points from Ben Gordon and 12 points from still-benched Joakim Noah and losing 99-85 to Golden State, even though Ben Gordon scored 31 points. Joakim Noah got his starting job at C back and promptly goes 1 for 11, but makes up for it a little by grabbing 21 rebounds.

Oh, so close, so damned close! Chauncey Billups again flirts with a triple-double and falls just short. 30 points, 9 assists, 9 rebounds. On the bright side, his performance secured an awesome 99-93 home win over the 76ers, which I'm extremely happy about.

Unfortunately for our relaxed holiday hopes, we get stuck with another doubleheader on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day against the two Los Angeles teams. The Lakers thoroughly school us in a 101-92 loss, Andris Biedrins the only one coming to play with 11 points and 10 rebounds, but we rebound with a tight 114-111 win against the Clippers, keyed by Ben Gordon's 30 points and bench support from Javaris Crittenton of 10 points and 9 assists.

And so at 19-12, we're in front of the Minnesota Timberwolves by half a game for the Northwest Division lead. Seattle is a healthy six games back and right now it's looking like it'll be a Nuggets/Timberwolves race for the division.

The Lakers and Rockets are clearly tops in the West at 24-4 and 24-7 respectively, Dallas the only other 20-win team at 20-10. Eight teams with +.500 records overall.

Toronto leads the East at 19-13, but the Bobcats, much to my disgruntlement, hold the second-best conference mark at 18-10. Atlanta, after acquiring Hinrich, have flown up to 15-14, just as a side note. The Bulls are last and least at 6-22, to no one's surprise. The Knicks have already equalled last year's win total, but still stink at 11-19.

The big surprise? The Indiana Pacers leading their division at 17-11, a game ahead of the 17-13 Detroit Pistons. Looks like their key offseason signings of Tony Parker and Paul Pierce respectively made an even bigger difference than I'd anticipated.

In a lovely bit of irony, Mateen Yeaton has been perfectly healthy and is averaging almost 20 points a game for the Pacers. I think I'll go strangle the team doctor now.

Paulinho Buboltz will be back before our next game, though and it'll be interesting seeing how George Karl handles it.

I'll report on statistical leaders next month. I will say though, that for the first time I can remember, no one is averaging 30+ points a game.

[Izulde]

Chicago Bulls receive
PG Andre Miller

Philadelphia 76ers receive
Chicago Bulls 2012 2nd round pick

What this means for the Bulls
Say hello to Kirk Hinrich's replacement, who's 35 and earning $10.2 million, albeit an expiring contract. Hinrich's $8 million was an expiring deal too and the Bulls just traded away the probable top pick in the second round for Miller, who while solid, is old and nowhere near as good as Hinrich anymore.

What this means for the 76ers
They shed $10 million, but they also just lost their only serviceable PG except for extremely raw third-year PG Mikhel Zukauskas. Sure they'll get a decent young player with the pick, but it hurts Philadelphia's chances to compete now.

Advantage: None
Both teams hurt themselves with this swap, though if we had to pick a winner, it'd be Philadelphia, because there's some justification for it, however small.

Phoenix Suns receive
PG Mikhel Zukauskas
Philadelphia 76ers 2012 2nd round pick

Philadelphia 76ers receive:
PG Jefferson Flint
PF Luther Cross

What this means for the Suns
The 22 year old Zukauskas is green, but has some scoring instincts and a good outside shot, along with some potential in traditional PG passing and ballhandling skills. He's a -huge- upgrade for the Suns in terms of bench guards, as they were solely lacking in quality backups for Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw.

What this means for the 76ers
Now they're -really- without a PG and in fact are so bad off, they're starting SF Rodney Carney there, even though Starbury, the starting SG, would make a lot more sense. Flint is a mediocre rookie PG with nowhere near Zukauskas's upside. Cross is roster filler garbage and the the 76ers already have a glut of young PFs in Tyrus Thomas, Yi Jianlian and Todd Maxwell. Philly's front office is as bad as the Bulls.

Advantage: Phoenix:
Nice coup for the Suns here as they address a gaping hole and set up nicely for the future, both with Zukauskas and the 2nd round pick. You really have to wonder why Philadelphia is tearing out the foundation of what was a good-looking team.

Minnesota Timberwolves receive
SF Jarrod Owens

Philadelphia 76ers receive
SF Charles Elleby

What this means for the Timberwolves
The second-year Owens won't ever be a scorer and isn't much of a rebounder, but he goes to the head of the class as Minnesota's best defender as he's a real ace at it. The Timberwolves really needed to get tougher on D and Owens provides it, as well as steps in as a possible heir to Kevin Garnett at starting SF.

What this means for the 76ers
Elleby, the Timberwolves 1st round pick this year, has no development and even less potential. The 76ers continue to be the new version of the Bulls in their team-destroying moronity.

Advantage: Minnesota
Great job by the T-Wolves to shed a zero and get back something they need for it.

I'm not what you would call happy about Minnesota's shrewd move in stealing Owens from the 76ers, but it does give me an idea.

An idea I unfortunately can't make work after some discussions, but that's okay, because I'm still working the phones in the days leading up to our first game of the month.

I go round and round with a certain team regarding a certain player, but they're absolutely refusing to give, despite my willingness to break one of my cardinal rules of GM philosophy to get him. In fact, I spend most of my time on the phone with them discussing a deal, but in the end, the Memphis Grizzlies want too rich a price for Pau Gasol. I run into the same exact difficulties in Phoenix trying to acquire Amare Stoudamire. Again with Portland and LaMarcus Aldridge.

"Give us something more equal in value", every single bastard GM parrots when I try to give them a deal that includes a first rounder, which I never, ever do unless I'm getting some kind of first round pick in return.

Not that I blame them. These are guys who are cornerstones, popular franchise players and it'd take a lot to land them.

But at long last, I strike a deal, one that I think really strengthens the team.

Denver Nuggets receive
PF Mehmet Okur
Utah Jazz 2014 2nd round pick

Utah Jazz receive
PF Andris Biedrins

What this means for the Nuggets
Denver's biggest weakness was a lack of inside scoring and while Okur won't surpass Ben Gordon as the team's top points generator any time soon, he gives them a legitimate inside offensive presence with excellent rebounding skills, the equal of Biedrins in truth. He's good for 14-15 points and 9-10 rebounds a game on average. Those extra points and rebounds could mean the difference in close contests.

What this means for the Jazz
Biedrins give the Jazz a sorely needed big body to put at C and his 7', 240 lb frame is quite welcome, because it allows Utah to shift Carlos Boozer back to his natural position at PF, which should give the Jazz better production out of him. It's another fresh start for the 25 year old Latvian and maybe he can finally tap into his considerable potential here after very quickly wearing out his welcome in Denver.

Advantage: Draw
Both teams benefit significantly from the swap, although a better Boozer may be the best thing Biedrins brings to the 13-20 Jazz.

I'm glad to get out from under Biedrin's big contract, although it's a bit embarassing to admit I made a mistake with our top free agent splash so soon.

Okur is 32 and signed through his 35 season, where he'll make $13.3 million. He'll be an albatross like Kenyon Martin by that time I'm sure in terms of his value relative to the money he's making, but I'm gunning for a shot at returning to the Finals and the Turk will give us the inside offense we need to compete with the Toronto Raptors of this NBA world.

The test of our newly improved interior offense comes early with a doubleheader against San Antonio and Houston to begin the New Year. We win a thrilling 103-100 victory over the Spurs as Ben Gordon scores 29 points and Leroy Wright contributes 12 points from the bench on another perfect 5 for 5 shooting. Paulinho Buboltz returns to action and is a reserve, putting up 14 points and 8 assists. Mehmet Okur pays off major dividends in his Denver debut, allowing us to overcome a horrific 2 for 14 shooting night from Caron Butler by scoring 18 points. That's one in the win column directly thanks to Okur. We get the sweep and beat Houston the next night 111-102 as Chauncey Billups lights things up for 29 points and Leroy Wright and Paulinho Buboltz stay hot with 10 points and 9 rebounds and 12 points to lead the second team respectively. Ike Diogu is the starting C again while Joakim Noah recovers from back spasms and he gets his first starting double-double in a Nuggets uniform with 16 points and 16 rebounds.

A day off and another doubleheader, against Sacramento and the Lakers. We decimate the Kings 104-80 as Ike Diogu rips off another starting double-double of 12 points and 15 rebounds and he's joined in the twice pleasure by Paulinho Buboltz, who's returned to the starting PG spot and turns in an 11 point, 11 assist performance and by Mehmet Okur, who contributes a terrific 19 points and 10 rebounds. Unfortunately we struggle against the Lakers, falling 105-97, Chauncey Billups our top performer and leading scorer with 16 points off the bench. The Purple and Gold are really, really good this year.

Ben Gordon scores 25 in our next game, but it's our bench who deserves all the claim as four reserves hit double-digit points: Leroy Wright (10 points, 9 rebounds), D.J. Strawberry (14 points), Chauncey Billups (13 points) and Tyson Chandler (10 points). The surprise sub scoring surge and total team defense has us obliterating the Timberwolves 110-74.

It's out to the West Coast for a two-day doubleheader on the road. We get victories both nights, beating Golden State 97-88 on the strength of Caron Butler's 25 points and 10 bench points from Chauncey Billups. Joakim Noah returns to the starting spot at C and just misses out on a double-double with 9 points and 11 rebounds. Ben Gordon takes care of Seattle with 30 points and a great 8 rebounds, Javaris Crittenton leading the second unit with 10 points in the easy 104-80 win.

The Grizzlies pay for refusing to trade Paul Gasol to us by losing 113-101 as Ben Gordon ravages them for 35 points and Chauncey Billups contributes 13 bench points.

Our hot streak ends with an embarrasing 126-106 loss to Dallas despite 28 points from Caron Butler, Joakim Noah's double-double of 12 points and 10 boards and 19 bench points from Chauncey Billups. I've noticed that either Caron has a great game or Mehmet Okur does and Okur's really been struggling lately.

A four-game tour of the East on the road is made up of two doubleheaders and we take both games of the first set, first topping the pathetic Bulls 100-86 on balanced offense, led by 23 points from Ben Gordon and 20 points from Paulinho Buboltz. Chauncey Billups led the bench cavalry with 10 points. Detroit throws everything they have at us, but we escape with a 99-97 win as Ben Gordon scores 30 and Caron Butler gets a nice double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Our jaunt to my home state and the basketball as religion state are much more mixed. We glide past the Bucks 103-90 as Ben Gordon puts up 28, Mehmet Okur scores 11 and grabs 13 boards and Chauncey Billups is blistering hot with 20 reserve points, but fall 109-105 to the Pacers in a matchup that gets a lot of hype because of Mateen Yeaton vs. Paulinho Buboltz. Buboltz has 13 points and 10 assists, but was a woeful 3 of 13, while Yeaton was masterful, winning Player of the Game with 32 points, 6 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and a steal. The former Hoosier is beloved in Indiana and he's a delight to watch. Hell, -I- even have his jersey hanging up in my house. And I could've had him.

But the truth is, with Gordon already on the team and Buboltz as our PG of the future, handpicked by me no less, who famously said that Buboltz looked like the best player in his class before the draft, there was just no room for Yeaton. Besides, it's a better story that a guy who played college ball at Indiana is part of the Pacers return to respectability, maybe even some playoff glory.

January ends with yet another back-to-back and another split decision. We avenge ourselves by thrashing the Knicks 111-85 on a balanced offense led by Mehmet Okur's 19 points and Paulinho Buboltz's 13 points and 10 assists, but lose 94-83 to Portland even as Joakim Noah collects 12 points and 12 rebounds and Chauncey Billups adds 11 points as part of the second unit.

Still, I'm not going to complain about a 30-16 record, which has us up by the Timberwolves by a single game in the division race. The Trailblazers are now up in 3rd place, but they're 19-25 and 10 games out.

The Lakers and Rockets still hold court in the West at 37-6 and 33-14 respectively, but we're down to seven teams over .500 in the conference because Phoenix is stalling at 24-24. Utah has been terrible since the trade going 3-10 in January to kill any chance they had of turning their season around. There's been no change in Carlos Boozer's numbers and Andris Biedriens is averaging 8.4 points and 8.1 rebounds. Sure, he's averaging a board more, but that's inflated by the fact he's playing center.

Out east, the Raptors have reasserted themselves as -the- force in the conference at 31-15, although the Bobcats still hold the #2 record at 27-15. Seven over .500 in the East, too, with the Hawks sitting even at 22-22.

Fun race in the Central, where the Pistons and Pacers are deadlocked atop the division and the Bucks are 2.5 back. You have to feel sorry for Cavs fans. All that talent in Lebron James and the team's wallowing with a 16-28 record. The Bulls are looking like this year's version of the Knicks at 8-35, while the actual New York team is still languishing in the Atlantic cellar at 16-29, despite Carmelo Anthony averaging a career-high 26.9 points a game. Ronny Smith continues to underachieve with 11.5 points and 7.2 rebounds a game, which is a shame, because talent-wise, he's right up there with Utah Sixer and classmate Kelvin Moody.

Still no one averaging over 30 points a game. King James is closest with 29.3. Former Nuggets Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson are 2nd and 3rd respectively with 26.9 and 26.8. Ben Gordon is 12th, averaging 23.6 points.

In contrast, four players are at double-digit assist averages: T.J. Ford (11.2), Chris Paul (11.1), Tony Parker (10.4) and Baron Davis (10.3). Paulinho Buboltz is 16th with 7.5 dishes per game.

Greg Oden is the undisputed leader in rebounds, averaging almost 15 boards a game. Next-closest competitors are LaMarcus Aldridge, Joel Freeland (Cleveland), Kelvin Moody and Andrew Boguy, all averaging in the 12 rebound range. As you might expect, no Nuggets worth noting.

Andrei Kirilenko again faces a small uphill battle to retain of 4 blocks on average for the season with 3.7. For the first time in a long time, he's got company in the 3+ category with Kelvin Moody averaging 3.2 a game. You know, I'm really glad the Knicks passed on Moody when they fired me, because I'd have been pissed at being robbed of the chance to see Moody turn New York around and with me out of it.

Chris Paul and Gerald Wallace are tops in steals at 2.2 and 2 per game respectively. What's interesting is that there's 3 Nuggets averaging a steal and a half per game: Caron Butler and Ben Gordon with 1.6 and Paulinho Buboltz with 1.5. That really makes me happy, because when I played rec league basketball as a kid, one of my coaches nicknamed me Dr. D (or Dr. Defense) and I was particularly well-known for my ability to either steal or tie up the ball. Unfortunately, I shot about as well as Kenyon Martin did last year, so no prospects of a basketball playing career for me.

For the rookies, Kyle Hoiberg and Chris Gearheart are lighting things up as expected, averaging 15.2 and 14.4 points respectively. This is a good scoring class by the looks of it, as Vince Murray is averaging 13.6 points, Tim Davis 11. Gearheart also leads in assists with 4.2. Ryan Sweetwyne, who I coveted with our 1st round pick, is tops in boards with 7.2 a game. Of course, that's with starting and he can't play defense worth a damn. Vince Murray also leads in blocks, averaging 1.1 despite being a SG. Then again, he's 6'4", so maybe that and mad hops gives him the advantage. Great pick by the Hawks it turns out, as he's been a key part of their resurgance. Not bad for having the #4 pick and missing out on Hoiberg and Gearheart. Gearheart and Murray are tied for class steals lead with 1.1 a game, though Hoiberg and Dusty Hammond, the Hawks pick at 19, are also averaging a swipe per contest.

Now this is interesting. Ryane Sweetwyne and Dusty Hammond are tied for the lead in rookie double-doubles with 3. Good thing Ike Diogu has turned out such a startling steal for us after dealing away the unwanted 24th pick, Lynn Shipley, who, by the way, is averaging 9.1 points and 3.5 rebounds....

...in the D-League, where he's played 17 games and has 3 starts as the Fort Worth Colonials' 6th man.

[Izulde]

The Buboltz-Yeaton connection has me thinking about how sometimes the biggest deals you make are the ones you don't make and about how a lot of trade discussions never get reported.

Take the possible Buboltz-Yeaton swap. The general public doesn't know about it and it will be some basketball historian, years after they've retired, maybe even after I've retired, that will uncover the truth.

And I think about what would've happened if we'd done the deal, how it'd have affected both teams, at least in the short-term. In that scenario, Tony Parker doesn't sign with the Pacers, Ben Gordon slides to PG and we'd still be lacking in a true legitimate heir to Chauncey Billups as a primary passer, unless you count Javaris Crittenton, who I've never seen in starting action.

Looking at that, it's pretty clear to see that not making the trade benefited both of us largely, because Indiana did steal Parker and the future is now with Buboltz as our starting PG. Pacers fans keep their hometown hero in Yeaton and we're still beloved in Brazil for Buboltz.

I think about how the secrecy of Buboltz-Yeaton directly contrasts with Andris Biedrins, who everybody and their mother knew I wanted to deal after the 60-day window expired. The papers and Internet were alive with the rumors of the big names I mentioned before and ESPN originally reported that we were on the verge of trading for Charlotte's Emeka Okafor from the Charlotte Bobcats.

Which is true. I was just about to greenlight the deal for Okafor when I held back. Sure, Okafor's a fantastic rebounder, a dynamite defender and a dazzling shotblocker, but in terms of the offense he could've given us, it was only slightly better than Mehmet Okur's.

And so I went with Okur, which was a simple one-for-one deal with a 2nd round pick thrown in for us, whereas the Okafor trade involved a few more pieces.

I still think it was the right decision to make, but it's something I'm going to be second-guessing myself about if we perform badly in the playoffs.

Speaking of trades, time to review January's exchanges.

New Orleans Hornets receive
PG Brevin Knight

Toronto Raptors receive
New Orleans Hornets 2012 2nd round pick

What this means for the Hornets
Knight is a pass-first PG and shores up New Orleans's backup guard situation, but he's 36 years old and the Hornets are having a terrible season, so it doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

What this means for the Raptors
The Raptors get a playing piece for the next draft, a probable high 2nd round pick, but the defending champions now have nobody capable of playing the point if something happens to T.J. Ford. Very risk move.

Advantage: None
Not really all that smart a move for either team. Toronto would have the edge if it didn't imperil their repeat chances.

A note on the Hornets. They have a second year SG in Nigel Abel who has come out of nowhere after being taken with the fifth pick a couple years ago to average 21.6 points. Scouts around the league are now speculating that he could become the greatest scorer since Lebron James with excellent defense. The problem? He only played 62 games last year, averaging 6.1 points in 11.2 minutes, a rate that so underwhelmed the Hornets, they didn't pick up his third-year option. It's going to be a harrowing free agency for New Orleans fans.

Detroit Pistons receive
PG Brevin Short

Los Angeles Lakers receive
PF Karim Webber

What this means for the Pistons
Short, a rookie, was the Lakers' 1st round pick this season at 1.21. His name is fitting, as he's even smaller than Denver's Paulinho Buboltz at 5'11, 176 lbs. That said, he has potential to be a capable pass-first PG with considerable defensive skills. Also, Detroit's starting PG, Steve Nash, is 37 and already much diminished from what he once was. Short allows them to build for the future.

What this means for the Lakers
Webber is a fourth-year man, taken at 1.21 himself by Detroit back in the 2009 draft. A superlative rebounder and a good shotblocker, the 24-year old can't shoot and can't play defense. He's not a bad bench roleplayer to have, though and his rebounding and shotblocking are areas the Purple and Gold needed assistance in.

Advantage: Detroit
Benefit for both teams, but the Pistons gain a drastic improvement, whereas the Lakers uptick is very slight.

Indiana Pacers receive
C Darko Milicic
Orlando Magic 2012 2nd round pick

Orlando Magic receive
PF Bob Perry
C Johan Petro
SG Ronald Murray
SG Juan Dixon

What this means for the Pacers
Indiana has a terrific starting five, save for C. While Darko probably won't fill that role, he gives the Pacers a desperately needed proven backup C and he's capable of delivering, as his 6th Man of the Year award shows. He'll be one of the top reserves while promising, raw rookie Phillip Gill works on his game in the D-League.

What this means for the Magic
Orlando's not going to make the playoffs this year, so they cash in for Petro and Perry, as Murray and Dixon were released immediately following the trade. Petro is 26 and mediocre in all respects, but he provides frontline depth after top pick Eugene Whitmore was lost for the season after tearing his Achilles in the summer league. Perry is a team player and can play a little defense, but he's awful everywhere else and the 22 year old will marinate in the D-League, where he's probably a lifer. This deal was largely about cutting a few million off the cap number.

Advantage: Indiana
Yes, Orlando saved some cash, but the players they got back are fairly worthless, whereas the Pacers addressed a real need area and got a high 2nd round draft pick on top of it.

Ironically enough, the very next day, the Pacers re-signed Dixon and Murray from the free agent pile.

We could still use a legitimate C ourselves, because all we have are combo players at the spot, with the exception of Tyson Chandler, but they don't come cheap and trying to pry one loose, especially one of the talented young big men, from teams in this league is extraordinarily difficult and the free agent market is absolutely barren.

Still, it's something to keep in mind as we start February with a 128-106 victory over Golden State, Paulinho Buboltz the game's top player with a terrific 21 points, 12 assists, 2 rebounds and 3 steals. Chauncey Billups was absolutely on fire with the reserves, scoring 22 points in exactly 22 minutes. Leroy Wright added to the sub scoring with 10 points of his own.

An in-division doubleheader against the Jazz and the Timberwolves goes the .500 route. We top Utah 95-79 when Mehmet Okur takes over the game with 27 points and 13 rebounds, his best outing in a Nuggets uniform. Minnesota nicks us 109-89, though, Ben Gordon our lone legitimate scorer with with 25 points. Joakim Noah goes 2 for 11 and I'm starting to really get frustrated with his lack of offense. Honestly, as much as I hate to say it about one of my boys, but I think he's probably best-suited to a reserve role.

Only how to get somebody to supplant him? Either I have to give up a ton or I have to sacrifice one of my chosen guys to make salaries match and it's just not something I'm willing to do yet.

I sure do love watching Lebron James play, especially when he scores 40 points and Cleveland still loses to us 112-92. Seven Nuggets with 12 points or better, including Chauncey Billups and Javaris Crittenton with exactly a dozen off the bench. Mehmet Okur and Joakim Noah tallied double-doubles with 14 points and 10 rebounds and 12 points and 13 rebounds respectively.

36.1% FG shooting dooms us in a 95-90 loss to New Jersey. Chauncey Billups had 11 bench points, Ike Diogu 11 bench boards and Mehmet Okur had 11 points and 10 rebounds, but that was largely padded by 7 of 8 FT shooting, as he was 2 for 10 from the floor.

The road trip out East continues with a back-to-back for our final two games before the All-Star break. Atlanta goes down 116-103 as Ben Gordon scores 28, Chauncey Billups gets a dynamite double off the bench with 23 points and 12 assists and Ike Diogu, who takes over as the starting C again, double-doubles himself with 14 points and 16 rebounds. Charlotte beats us the next night though to force the split, 106-83. Ben Gordon scored 25 and Chauncey Billups had 19 points in a reserve highlight, but by and large, we got schooled.

Outside of the Rookie-Sophomore game, I don't really foresee an enjoyable All-Star weekend for Nuggets fans or me, as I spend a lot of time wrestling with the question of what to do about our gaping hole at C. It's honestly giving me a headache.

It doesn't help matters that [b]Leroy Wright[/b[ isn't having the best season, primarily because his minutes have been drastically chopped. He doesn't seem to have the same aggressive instinct that he did last year either, so I'm wondering if maybe he isn't a flash in the pan.

Chauncey Billups has almost no trade value on the market, which really puzzles me, as he's still a front-line PG and a $14 million expiring contract besides.

I go back and forth with a couple of teams over their young big men, but they're not allowing much wiggle room. Basically, they want Paulinho Buboltz in exchange and it'll snow in hell before I give him up for anyone but Mateen Yeaton.

So I suspend talks for a few days.

I'm outraged when I receive word that Paulinho Buboltz is not invited to the Sophomore squad for the Rookies-Sophs game. I understand him not starting with Mateen Yeaton and Nigel Abel around, but to not even make the damn team? Evidently the team selection committee decided Brian Metcalfe's 7.5 points and 6.2 assists was better than Buboltz's 11.6 points and 7 assists. Oh and did we mention Buboltz's 1.6 steals? Fuck the selection committee!. Sophs win 82-67 in a snoozer, Jeremy Lemons MVP with 17 points and 11 assists.

It's typical All-Star snub shenigans surrounding my players and I'm sick of that crap. Ben Gordon getting two All-Star appearances and not playing a damn single minute, Chauncey Billups getting the same shaft last year.

I'm not expecting any Nuggets All-Stars this year and there are none. Kelvin Moody starts at PF for the West for the second straight year and Mateen Yeaton gets on the East squad, but doesn't get to play. Exciting back and forth game that sees the East pull away at the end to win 116-101. Tyrus Thomas was Game MVP in leading all scorers with 20 points.

So it's back to the drawing board for a C after the All-Star Game.

A crazy scheme gets in my head to strike a deal with the Knicks for Utah Sixer Rudy Braun, but they counter with the remark that, "It'd make us too weak at center", which sends my jaw to the floor in stunned disbelief.

Basically what it's boiling down to is this: Any attempt to improve upon Noah at C will have to result in trading Noah himself and I'm just not willing to do that. I'd sooner trade Caron Butler, who, by the way, is having the greatest season of his career.

Finally, at long last, I hammer out a deal. It's not the blockbuster improvement I'd hoped to get and I dealt away a couple players I didn't really want to, but I think it'll turn out okay in the end.

Denver Nuggets receive
C Jamaal Scruggs
SG Luther Head
Philadelphia 76ers 2012 1st round pick

New Jersey Nets receive
PF Ike Diogu
PG Javaris Crittenton

What this means for the Nuggets
GM Jestor and George Karl clash over the question of Scruggs. Jestor sees him as a possible replacement for Joakim Noah at C. Karl has him as an 11th man. Head is a career backup guard. If the Scruggs issue isn't worked out, the best part of this deal may be the 76ers pick, the third late 1st round pick the Nuggets hold in the next draft, giving Denver great flexibility to move up or even make another trade before the deadline. Second year man Leroy Wright will also see a lot more minutes with Diogu's departure.

What this means for the Nets
New Jersey's collecting bright young PGs in the same way that Denver's gathering up late 1st round picks. Crittenton looked excellent at times for the Nuggets off the bench. Diogu was a terrific find for the Nuggets, a versatile four-position player who put up some nice numbers both as a reserve and as the half-time starting C. The consistency of his performances started to drop after a hot early start, however, suggesting perhaps he doesn't have the stamina to maintain it. If so, the already losing Nets are in trouble, as Diogu's their new starting C.

Advantage: Draw
Question marks on both sides of the deal are balanced by obvious benefits for the two teams. The full impact of this trade won't be known for another year or two yet.

I'm a little ticked that Karl can't see I've improved our frontcourt considerably, as Scruggs has a nice inside shot which nobody else on this team really has. Oh well. If it's a one and done in the playoffs anyway, I'd rather have the extra 1st rounder to play with.

Our first game after the All-Star break is an easy 114-96 win over the Celtics. Ben Gordon scores 37, Chauncey Billups starts at PG in a surprise turn, but double-doubles with 17 points and 11 assists and Paulinho Buboltz contributes 15 points in reserve duty. Jamaal Scruggs is a DNP. Guess Karl's sticking to his word.

My stomach churns two days later as we drop a 110-108 road game against the Grizzlies. Ben Gordon is on fire with 36 points and Paulinho Buboltz, again a sub, puts in 17 points, but our front court stunk just enough to cost us the win.

Six players in double figures key a 125-104 victory over New Orleans. Four Nuggets score 20 points or better: Ben Gordon (20), Caron Butler (23), Mehmet Okur (21) and Chauncey Billups (24 and 11 assists). Paulinho Buboltz scores 10 to lead the second team.

Caron Butler has back spasms, so it's a frontcourt of SF Noah, PF Okur, C Wright agains the Hawks in our final game of the month. Ben Gordon scores 37 and Paulinho Buboltz adds 13 bench points to rescue us in a 106-95 victory.

So we're 37-20 after the short month and our lead in the Northwest is expanded to 3 games over the Timberwolves. We're also closing in on the Rockets for the second-best record in the West, as they're 38-19. The conference leaders are, of course, none other than the 45-10 Lakers. 8 teams with winning records, a 9th, the Sacramento Kings at .500 at 29-29.

Toronto is the only 40-win team in the East at the moment. Second-best record goes to the 33-21 Bobcats, although the 33-23 Pacers, 32-23 Pistons, and surprisingly straightened-out 32-24 76ers are all within striking distance. 7 teams hosting a winning record in the East, 25-31 Atlanta hanging on to the 8th seed at present.

[Izulde]

Philadelphia 76ers receive
C Nenad Krstic

New Jersey Nets receive
Philadelphia 76ers 2012 1st round pick

What this means for the 76ers
Krstic is a nice 10 point, 10 rebound type C, but won't give you much more than that. He plays respectable defense and he fills a gaping hole, taking over as the starting C for Philadelphia, who also finally got smart and are starting Stephon Marbury at PG. Krstic comes with a cap-friendly deal for the next couple years as well and at 28, he's in his prime.

What this means for the Nets
Their season is already over, so it make sense to stock up an extra draft pick, even if it's a late 1st rounder.

Advantage: Philadelphia
The 76ers need Krstic far more than they need the late 1st round pick and he helps them more than the 1st rounder will the Nets.

A 1st round pick that they later traded to us.

Indiana Pacers receive
C Patrick O'Bryant

Utah Jazz receive
PG Dan Johnson

What this means for the Pacers
Indiana -finally- gets a legitimate starting center. O'Bryant won't dazzle on the scoring side of things, but he's a very good rebounder and a solid defender. He's precisely what the Pacers need to make some noise in the playoffs.

What this means for the Jazz
Johnson's a second-year PG with no appreciable skills and the 23 year old isn't likely to get any better any time soon. A tanking move more than anything else it looks like.

Advantage: Indiana
This is the big body they need to challenge the Raptors.

Houston Rockets receive
PG Kyle Lowry

Utah Jazz receive
PG Patrick Cooper

What this means for the Rockets
Lowry is one of those all-around players who does a little bit of everything, but doesn't do anything exceptionally well. That said, he takes over as the 6th man and gives the Rockets some more backcourt depth.

What this means for the Jazz
See note on Johnson for Cooper.

Advantage: Houston
It's a bit of a shame in a way though, as Mackel Greenleaf has considerable potential, but now will get a lot less time to develop as a result of this deal.

So much for the new-look Pacers. We beat them 109-96 as Ben Gordon scores 29, Mehmet Okur doubles with 19 points and 11 rebounds and Chauncey Billups follows suit with 24 points and 10 assists. Paulinho Buboltz scores 10 and I'm thrilled when Jamaal Scruggs not only gets major minutes, but goes 7 for 10 for 14 points off the bench! This is still a damned good Indiana team though and they look -much- better with O'Bryant out there.

The romp continues with a 117-97 win over the Clippers. Ben Gordon leads the charge with 32 points and Paulinho Buboltz adds another 18 from the bench. Joakim Noah even channels Caron Butler as the starting SF and scores an amazing 20 points.

For the first time in ages, we beat the Trailblazers. It's close, of course, at 100-96, but I'll take it. Ben Gordon does his usual magic with 27 points and Mehmet Okur is simply amazing with 25 points and 10 rebounds.

Double-header up next and we drop the first one to San Antonio 106-98 on the road. Six players with 11 points or more, Joakim Noah doubling with 11 points, 11 rebounds and Paulinho Buboltz putting in 14 off the bench, but nobody hits 20 points. We get the draw in crushing the Suns, though, as Caron Butler and Paulinho Buboltz make their returns to the starting five. Butler celebrates by scoring 27, Mehmet Okur and starting at C again Joakim Noah both double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 16 points, 10 rebounds respectively. Chauncey Billups has no problems as the 6th man, scoring 14 as a reserve. Final: 115 Denver 90 Phoenix.

Ben Gordon singlehandedly takes out the Bobcats with 36 points and Paulinho Buboltz assists with 12 points and 10 assists as we beat Charlotte 106-91. Always good to see one of our extra picks tack on another loss. Even better when we're one the ones doing the damage.

Another game against the Clippers, another win, this one good for 110-89 on the strength of Ben Gordon's 26 points, 13 points and 12 assists from Paulinho Buboltz and a surprising 14 bench points from Luther Head. Unexpected, but we'll take it.

Milwaukee beats us 109-98 to end our win streak. Ben Gordon scores 32, but no one else comes to play and the Bucks have all five starters in double figures, the most impressive of which is Andrew Bogut with 18 points and 25 rebounds.

Things go from bad to worse as the Wizards destroy us by 21 points. Once again, it's all Ben Gordon with 33 points as we have a 40% shooting night, which a couple guys having 0 fors. Names won't be mentioned to protect the guilty.

As if that wasn't enough, Chauncey Billups gets a nasty bruise on his calf, which is going to hamper both him and us because we don't have the safety net of Javaris Crittenton anymore.

The losing streak stretches to three games with a frustrating 103-97 loss to the Lakers. Ben Gordon leads us with 29 points, Paulinho Buboltz puts up 12 points and 10 assists and Luther Head contributes a nice 14 points off the bench, but we still lose.

We scratch out an 86-72 win over the Kings to snap the cold streak. Joakim Noah gets 14 points and 10 rebounds and Luther Head continues to play well in Chauncey Billups's absence with 13 sub points. We needed this victory to get our confidence back.

Phoenix just can't seem to beat us as Ben Gordon goes absolutely ballistic for 38 points, Luther Head goes on a scoring spree off the bench with 19 points and Leroy Wright just misses out on a double-double with the reserves at 8 points and 12 rebounds in the 115-105 win.

We need every single last one of Ben Gordon's 35 points, Mehmet Okur's 12 points and 13 rebounds and Leroy Wright and Tyson Chandler's 10 bench points a piece and I mean that literally, because we only beat the Jazz by a point. 103-102 is the heartstopping final score.

A doubleheader concludes March and as expected, we lose to the Spurs. What wasn't expected was the 79-68 final, nor Ben Gordon's 7 points, his lowest ever in a Nuggets uniform. We snap back with a 109-92 win against the Trailblazers however, keyed by 14 points and 12 assists by Paulinho Buboltz and 16 reserve points from Leroy Wright.

Five and a half games separates us as division leaders from the Timberwolves with ten games to go. The Lakers have already locked up the #1 seed with a 57-15 record. The Rockets are currently second at 49-24, followed by San Antonio at 48-25 and us with a record of 47-25.

Toronto has the East sewn up at 52-20, as the second-best team is the 44-28 Bobcats, followed by the 43-29 Pistons and the 42-29 Pacers. Come on, Charlotte! Tank as much as you can! On a pleasing note, the 76ers really fell apart in March and are now 37-35, damning them to a likely 7 or 8 seed, depending on if the 36-36 Atlanta Hawks can kick it in gear.

Ten games to go in the season and I'm just going to ride them all out.

Two doubleheaders kick off the last set of ten. Chauncey Billups scores 17 in his return, but it's spoiled by a 94-88 loss to the Grizzlies, who are actually a pretty dangerous team with Pau Gasol and superstar rookie Chris Gearheart. We make a beaut of a recovery the next night to stomp all over the Hornets 113-90. Ben Gordon heads the pack with 27 points, followed by a double of 17 points and 10 rebounds from Caron Butler and a dazzling 23 reserve points from well-rested Chauncey Billups.

Game one of the second doubleheader is the most critical of the four-game set, because it's against Minnesota. We respond with a heartbreaking 105-103 loss to the Timberwolves, even as Joakim Noah has 12 points and 13 rebounds and Leroy Wright tops the benchmen with 13 points and 10 rebounds. The difference-maker? Chauncey Billups going 0 for 5. Irony, I am your bitch. The next night is an easy 99-83 win over Seattle, but Ben Gordon's 31 points and Paulinho Buboltz's 15 points and 13 assists seem hollow, Chauncey Billups's 10 bench points downright cruel.

My sense of gloominess continues with a 106-99 home loss to Golden State. Ben Gordon scores 28, but as sometimes happens with this infuriatingly inconsistent team, everyone else takes the night off.

Luckily the Hornets come to town and improve my mood with a thrilling shootout, which we win 136-125. I'm gleeful at Ben Gordon (33 points), Caron Butler (11 points, 14 rebounds), Mehmet Okur (19 points, 16 rebounds), Paulinho Buboltz (10 points, 13 assists), Chauncey Billups (21 bench points) and Leroy Wright (19 bench points and a career high in scoring). It's a delightful way to get our 50th win of the year and even better, it means the best the Timberwolves can do is tie us for the division. Four more games to go. We need just one win to clinch the division title.

Two double-headers, all four games brutal contests against teams that can and have beaten us soundly in the past. Buoyed by the enthusiasm of our 50th win, however, we go out and ravage Memphis 119-69 in the most lopsided win I can remember.. It's positively delicious as Mehmet Okur thunders for 25 points and 11 rebounds, Ben Gordon lightnings for 25 points and 10 assists and Chauncey Billups pours on the rain of 19 points from the bench. It's so satisfying to clinch the division that I don't mind the 105-98 road loss to the Rockets the next night.

We finish strong in the second doubleheader, setting the Suns down 110-97 behind Paulinho Buboltz's highest-scoring game ever: 24 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals. How someone 5'11 pulls off 3 blocks in a game, I'll never know, but he did it. Chauncey Billups played an excellent second with 16 reserve points. The sweep comes 112-84 over the Trailblazers, Ben Gordon the man of the match with 31 points, Paulinho Buboltz vital with 13 points and 12 assists, Chauncey Billups the supersub with 17 points.

Our final regular season record is 53-29, four games ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves, good for fourth record-wise in the conference behind the Lakers (66-16), Rockets (57-25) and Spurs (54-28).

The eight teams representing the West are the Lakers, Rockets, Spurs, Nuggets, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Grizzlies and Kings. 43-39 was the final ticket punched to the dance by Sacramento. Feels weird not seeing the Suns in the playoffs, but so it is.

The defending champion Raptors take the top seed in the East at 59-23 and I'm disgruntled to see the Bobcats second at 51-31. Oh well, there's five teams in the West with better records than Charlotte (Dallas the other one at 52-30).

We'll see the Raptors, Bobcats, Pistons, Bucks, Celtics, Pacers, Hawks and 76ers represent the East in the postseason. Philadelphia, I'm happy to report, has the 8th seed at 41-41 and we'll have the first non-lottery pick in next year's draft. Can you say trade ammunition? I knew you could.

Lebron James just missed out on the 30 point per game average at 29.8. Allen Iverson was ironically second at 27 points a game. I have a sinking feeling we're really going to miss AI in the playoffs. Ben Gordon finished 10th with a 24.8 point average.

After the dust cleared, three passers had double-digit assists: Chris Paul (10.9), T.J. Ford (10.8) and Baron Davis (10.1). Paulinho Buboltz took 17th with 7.2.

Greg Oden took the rebounding title with 14.7 boards. Andrew Bogut and Kelvin Moody were tied for 2nd at exactly 12.

Andrei Kirilenko -just- missed taking his 4 blocks per game to a 5th consecutive season, finishing with 3.9 rejections. A damned shame, but he should still have Defensive Player of the Year sewn up. Kelvin Moody was second with 3.1.

Gerald Wallace was the lone 2 steal a game man. Chris Paul and Rudy Gay were just behind at 1.9. Three Nuggets averaged 1.5 swipes or better, Caron Butler, Paulinho Buboltz and Ben Gordon. Butler led the team with 1.6.

Chris Gearheart, who I would've taken with the #1 overall pick, ran away with the rookie scoring title for the Grizzlies, averaging 16 points a game. Kyle Hoiberg was second at 13.9. This is an absolutely stunning scoring class as I've said before. Six players averaged double-digit points in their first season. Gearheart, Hoiberg, [b]Tim Davis (12.8), Vince Murray (12.7), Durko Jagr (12.4) and Ron Collier (10.5).

Underwhelming in the assists category though, Chris Gearheart and Durko Jagr the top players with 4 and 3.5 averages respectively.

Ryan Sweetwyne led in rebounds with 8 per game, the second man Tim Davis with 6 a contest. This is really looking a class with great scorers, but blah in everything else.

Vince Murray and Chris Gearheart add to that impression as the top blockers at 0.8 per game, though they do their class credit by tying for the steals lead as well with 1.2 swipes per game. Kyle Hoiberg averaged exactly a steal a game.

We're given the #4 seed in the playoffs and draw a familiar foe chomping at the bit for revenge from last season.

The Dallas Mavericks.

[Izulde]

There was a nice article on the Pacers this week, so I'll include it.

Return of the Pacers

For the first time since 2008, the Indiana Pacers are back in the playoffs. It's been a rough stretch of years for the pro team in the most basketball-mad state in the country ever since the infamous 2004 Brawl in Auburn Hills, but now, in 2011, the restoration is complete, thanks to a series of savvy moves by the Pacers front office.

There was the hiring of Rudy Tomjanovich as head coach, which instantly gave the team a master strategist to direct things and one of the most accomplished coaches in the league.

Shrewd draft picks resulted in two key players, SF Patrick Pastner taken with the 17th pick in the 2009 draft who has gotten better and better in his three years in the league and emerged as one of the bright young swingmen in the league and, of course, SG Mateen Yeaton, the hometown Hoosier drafted 4th overall a year later who has been, along with New Orleans's Nigel Abel the most electric shooter in his class, both young men averaging over 20 points a game in just their second season.

The final rebuilding pieces came in this year's free agency period and during the season, when the Pacers pulled off an upset in landing PG Tony Parker as a free agent and made trades during the regular season to net former 6th Man of the Year C Darko Milicic and C Patrick O'Bryant to bolster their frontcourt.

The end result has been a return to the playoffs and a near-capturing of the Central Division crown before star PF Jermaine O'Neal broke his wrist with 20 games left in the season, costing Indiana the division title and imperiling their chances to advance in the playoffs.

Even if Indiana fails to beat the other newly resurgant team, the Pistons, however, prospects are good for another fine season next year, which is more than the Pacers' faithful have been able to say for years.

***End Article***

I hope the Pacers pull out the upset, I really do.

But I want us to win most of all and here's an excerpt profiling our series.

"Denver swept Dallas in the second round last year and you can bet that the Mavericks will be fired up and ready to avenge themselves of that embarrassment. A key test for the Nuggets will be to see how they fare in the charged atmosphere of the postseason without Allen Iverson, who had an absolutely legendary series of performances in leading Denver to the NBA Finals.

Point Guard
Paulinho Buboltz vs. Jason Terry
Buboltz is another one of the great players in this amazing 2010 draft class. It's hard to believe he's only 19 years old and 5'11, 182 lbs, because he plays like a veteran with some serious size, possessing good passing skills and a devastating outside shot and scoring instincts.

Terry is a crafty veteran, the 34 year old averaging a shade under 20 points and 9 assists a game in the regular season. He's also a very good defender who will seek to shut down the potentially explosive Buboltz, which he should be able to do.

Advantage: Mavericks

Shooting Guard
Ben Gordon vs. Josh Howard
Gordon averaged almost 25 points a game and is a legitimate All-Star type talent with underrated ball-handling and defensive skills. He's Denver's best and most consistent scorer.

Howard signed a lucrative contract extension this year despite having the worst season of his career in years and averaging just 11.7 points a game with 3.3 rebounds. One of the league's biggest underachievers, he'll have his hands full trying to guard Gordon.

Advantage: Nuggets

Small Forward
Caron Butler vs. Dirk Nowitzki
Butler's from the same hometown as GM Jestor, but don't think it's just a case of the old boy network, because Butler has serious shooting instincts, good defense and can strip away the ball like nobody's business. Althoughly wildly inconsistent with his shot, he's the team second-leading scorer, averaging 15.7 points a game in the regular season.

Nowitzki had a slight down year and of course it says something when a down year is 25.4 points a game average. He'll get his points this series after having been shut down by [b]Joakim Noah and Kenyon Martin last year, but unlike last season, he opposes a genuine scorer this go-round and at 33, he doesn't have the step to play great or even good defense anymore. He's still far more consistent than Butler, however.

Advantage: Mavericks

Power Forward
Mehmet Okur vs. Daniel Wilder
GM Jestor dealt disappointing free-agent signing Andris Biedrins for Okur early in the season and it was one of the smartest moves he's ever made. Okur gives the Nuggets a legitimate scoring punch inside, as well as a genuine rebounding force, two things they lacked last season from the PF spot. Shows inconsistency and only an average defender, but still a solid player.

Third-year man Wilder is average in every aspect of the game, especially as a PF. There's just nothing that stands out about him and he's liable to get eaten alive by Okur.

Advantage: Nuggets

Center
Joakim Noah vs. Jonte Jones
Last year Noah occupied the SF spot and played a critical role as stopper against Nowitzki as noted above. This season he's the man in the middle. His rebounding has improved from the position switch, but his scoring is down. He won't score much in this series, but that's okay. His job will be to bring his trademark defense to bear against second-year Jones.

Jones was frustrated by the Big O last year and he could face the same problems going against Noah, but perhaps not, as he averaged 15.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, a block and a steal per game in his sophomore season. In a league of exciting young Cs, last season's Rookie of the Year is one of the best, with rapidly improving shooting, dynamite rebounding and improving rebounding and ballhandling skills.

Advantage: Mavericks

Bench
Chauncey Billups is Denver's 6th man, capable of taking over seamlessly at the point. He's an incredible scorer against weaker benches and a textbook passer. Leroy Wright experienced a major sophomore slump, however.

Dallas counters Billups with Devin Harris, who's just as good a passer, but who never developed the scoring instinct necessary to become an elite PG or even a good offensive sparkplug off the bench. That duty belongs to 24-year old Jeff Green, who fills it quite well. Matt Harpring is a top-notch defender.

Advantage: Mavericks

Final Thoughts
No sweep for the Nuggets this year and in fact, this looks like the kind of series that could go the limit. Much as we'd like to pick Denver, they were better off last year when they had fewer scorers, more defensive hardbodies and of course, Allen Iverson.
Prediction: Mavericks in 6

Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence guys. I mean, I know we don't have AI and Shaq, but I think we can still beat this team.

Game One
Well, we knew it wasn't going to be a sweep for us and it wasn't. Paulinho Buboltz has the wrong kind of double-double with 14 points and 10 turnovers, the first time I've ever seen that. Luther Head and Chauncey Billups scored 12 and 10 points off the bench, but three of our starters scored 4 or 8 points and Jonte Jones abuses Joakim Noah for 32 points, 17 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals. Dirk Nowtizki gets 12 points and 12 rebounds, Jason Terry 20 points and 11 assists. Sheer ugliness.
Dallas 114 Denver 90

Game Two
Revenge is bliss and Ben Gordon delivers the killing blow with 33 points, 5 assists, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Jamaal Scruggs and Chauncey Billups contribute 10 reserve points a piece as we even the series on our way to Dallas. Jonte Jones got a weak double-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds and Jeff Green and Devin Harris led Mavericks subs with 12 and 11 points respectively.
Dallas 99 Denver 117

Game Three
A thrilling, intense back-and-forth came that wasn't decided until the final minute. Ben Gordon scores 34 points, Mehmet Okur and Paulinho Buboltz double up with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 15 points, 17 assists respectively. Most notably, Buboltz had just -one- TO. Far cry from the 10 in Game 1! Leroy Wright took in 10 boards off the bench. Dirk Nowitzki and Jonte Jones were on form with 22 points and 11 rebounds and 16 points and 16 rebounds, but in the end, we just barely edge out the squeaker and seize a vital 2-1 series lead.
Denver 104 Dallas 101

Game Four
13 points and 10 assists from Paulinho Buboltz, 10 bench boards from Leroy Wright and 13 reserve points from Chauncey Billups can't counter 25 points, 9 assists from Jason Terry, 10 points, 10 rebound from Dan Wilder and 17 points and 10 rebounds from Jonte Jones as the series go back to a draw.
Denver 95 Dallas 107

No sweeps this year in the first round, so there's still a lot of exciting playoff basketball to watch.

Game Five
The Mavericks mount a furious fourth quarter rally and they had great games from Jonte Jones (18 points, 19 rebounds), Devin Harris (17 points on the bench) and Chris Wilcox (11 points with the reserves). But in the end they fall -just- short as Ben Gordon scores 32 and Chauncey Billups, Jamaal Scruggs and Leroy Wright counter the Dallas reserves with 16 points, 11 points and 10 rebounds respectively and we take the crucial 3-2 series lead, meaning at most a Game 7.
Dallas 96 Denver 98

Game Six
Dallas's home crowd was in eardrum-shattering mode and our guys played like crap, save for Ben Gordon's 31 points and Chauncey Billups's 16 sub points. Dirk Nowitzki scorched us for 28 points, Jason Terry added 23 points and 11 assists and Chris Wilcox added 11 points with the reserves to force a Game 7 in Denver.
Denver 91 Dallas 113

Game Seven
This is it. Our entire season boils down to this game. Win and we advance to the second round. Lose and we suffer the humiliation of bowing out in the first round in defense of our Western Conference title. I'm downcast as our offense plays terribly and Dirk Nowtizki scores 26 points with 12 rebounds, Daniel Wilder gets 11 points and 10 boards, Chris Wilcox has an insane 16 points and 14 rebounds off the bench and fellow reserve Jeff Green scores 15. But then Ben Gordon channels Allen Iverson and blitzkriegs the Mavericks for 42 points and Paulinho Buboltz scores points 15, 16, and 17 as we complete the come-from-behind win, outscoring Dallas 30-13 in the 4th quarter!!!!
Dallas 103 Denver 105

We did it!!! We're advancing to the second round!!!!

Ours was the only series to the full seven games. The Lakers beat the Kings 4-1, Houston topped Memphis 4-1 and, in the biggest upset of the opening round, the Timberwolves ambush the Spurs 4-2. In the East, Toronto put away Philly 4-2, Boston upended Milwaukee 4-1, the Pistons eliminated O'Neal-less Indiana 4-1 and the Bobcats knocked out the Hawks 4-1.

[MacroGuru]

Awesome first round playoff series win!

[Izulde]

Awesome first round playoff series win!

Thanks. :) I was really sweating it out there. Not having Shaq meant Dallas matched up a lot better against this year, especially with Jones getting another year of experience under his belt.

[Izulde]

Poor Houston. Not only do they draw the incredibly tough Timberwolves in the second round, but Yao Ming is gone for the rest of the year with a broken finger. Their starting C for the rest of the playoffs? None other than Utah Sixer and former Austin Mammoth B.J. Whitehead. Small world, though I think B.J.'s insertion in the starting lineup will translate into a Minnesota victory.

As for us, we get the fun, if you can call it that, of playing the top-seeded Lakers. This is like last season in reverse!

Usual preview article snippet.

"Last year, the Nuggets faced the Lakers, then the Mavericks in the first two rounds, beating Los Angeles in six and sweeping Dallas. This season, Denver went up against Dallas in the first round and needed the full distance to send the Mavericks home and they draw the Lakers in Round Two.

It won't be easy, as the Lakers were easily the best team in the league in the regular season.

Point Guard
Paulinho Buboltz vs. Jordan Farmar
Buboltz recovered beautiful from the 10 turnover gaffe in Game One in the opening round and is averaging 15.6 points and 9.1 assists in the playoffs, tops in assists and second in scoring for the Nuggets. More importantly, he's averaging 2.6 steals and has been a real disruptive force on defense.

Farmar is a solid all-around player, but although he averaged 14.8 points in the first round, he looked surprisingly out of sync running the offense, averaging 3 turnovers a game and under 5 assists. He also averaged four fouls. All told, that's a dangerous combination for the 27 year-old against the 19 year old Buboltz.

Advantage: Nuggets

Shooting Guard
Ben Gordon vs. Kobe Bryant
29.6 points a game in the playoffs is something you'd expect out of Bryant or last year's playoff SG, Allen Iverson, but this year, it's Gordon who holds that august statistic. If Denver wants to have a chance in this series, they'll need that kind of lights-out shooting from him again.

Kobe may "only" be averaging 24.8 points, but he's also averaging four and a half rebounds and assists and, most importantly for the Lakers, he brings to bear the kind of awesome defense that's going to be needed to limit Gordon and turn this into a short series.

Advantage: Lakers

Small Forward
Caron Butler vs. Lamar Odom
Despite all the expectations of a great series against the Mavericks, Butler just didn't produce, averaging only 11 points a game with just shy of 6 rebounds. He'll need to boost his scoring numbers to give Denver a shot.

Odom may have averaged 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in the opening round, but he made up for one of the worst showings of his career with 2.8 steals a game. No longer the scoring threat he once was, his greatest value now comes in his ability to play all 5 positions, giving Phil Jackson the versatility needed to create matchup problems.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Mehmet Okur vs. Derrick Robinson
Okur was bothered by a strained hamstring for most of the opening round, which explains why he averaged just 8 points. He did take down 7.4 rebounds a game though and his great shooting and hard-nosed rebounding prowess will be a key factor in this series, especially if he's fully recovered in time for the first game.

The fourth-year Robinson is averaging 11.6 points and 5 rebounds in the playoffs, along with an impressive 2.6 blocks. He may be supbar defensively and still have some ways to go in his development at 23, but his shotblocking skills and good shooting and rebounding talents will make the Okur/Robinson matchup a fun one to watch.

Advantage: Draw

Center
Joakim Noah vs. Andrew Bynum
Noah just doesn't have the size, rebounding ability or inside shot to be an effective starting C and he was absolutely abused in the first round by Jonte Jones. Did we mention he's also foul-prone, averaging 4.8 against the Mavericks?

Bynum is the best inside shooter in the league, a great scorer with very good rebounding, defense and shotblocking ability. He's averaging 21 points and 11.8 rebounds so far in the playoffs and he's going to have a field day feasting on Noah.

Advantage: Lakers

Bench
Chauncey Billups is the man, averaging 9 points in 14 minutes in the first round. Leroy Wright looked much improved than in the regular season, averaging 5.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.1 blocks off the bench.

Thabo Sefolosha plays terrific defense and is averaging a little over 8 points a game, both in the regular season and playoffs. At 37, Rasheed Wallace may not have much left in the tank, but it's still good enough to average 5.6 points and 4.4 rebounds with respectable defense.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
On paper, there's a lot to say that these teams are pretty evenly matched, but when one team has Bryant and Bynum and the other has Gordon, the overwhelming advantage goes to the B&B team. This one has all the makings of a sweep.
Prediction: Lakers in 4

Dismissed again. Not that I don't agree in this case, of course. The Lakers really are that good this year.

Game One
Kobe Bryant eviscerates us for 27 points, Derrick Robinson adds to the fire with 26 points and Andrew Bynum rips us apart for 18 points and 15 rebounds. Best part of Kobe's night? Limiting Ben Gordon to 8 points on 4 for 15 shooting, but everyone sucked tonight. We shot 38.8% from the floor, compared to 51.3% for the Lakers. Paulinho Buboltz got 13 points and 10 assists and Leroy Wright scored 8 with 10 rebounds off the bench. Yeah, it was that ugly.
Denver 91 Los Angeles 112

Game Two
The good news: Ben Gordon scores 21 and makes the game a lot closer. The bad news: Andrew Byunum has 25 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks, Kobe Bryant 19 points and 10 assists[/b] and Thabo Sefolosha finishes off with 11 bench points. Down 2-0 and we're looking every bit the inferior team.
Denver 93 Los Angeles 105

Game Three
We need to get a win here in Denver, preferably tonight. Ben Gordon scores 25 and Paulinho Buboltz has 15 points and 10 assists to go along wiht Leroy Wright's 11 reserve points. But the Lakers counter with 30 points from Kobe Bryant and 18 points, 17 rebounds from Andrew Bynum to push us to the brink of elimination. The cliff looms large beneath us.
Los Angeles 108 Denver 101

Game Four
No miracle comeback this year. Paulinho Buboltz gets 11 points and 12 assists and Chauncey Billups puts up a heroic 19 points off the bench in what is likely his final game as a Nugget, but it can't trump 36 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 blocks from Andrew Bynum.
Los Angeles 109 Denver 84

Another bitter sweep to end a pretty successful year. I'm getting a little tired of these, to tell you the truth. What is absolutely clear is that under no circumstances can Joakim Noah be the starting C next year and if that means I have to trade him, then by Jove, I'll do it. My boy or no, he really cost us this season.

At least we weren't the only sweep. Charlotte knocked out Paul Pierce's Pistons in four as well and the other two remaining series look like they'll end in five.

They do, with Toronto dismissing Boston and Houston showing no discomfort at losing Yao in dropping the Timberwolves.

Raptors/Bobcats and Lakers/Ming-less Rockets. Have to go with the Raptors and Lakers in this one, even though Charlotte has been scrappy and underrated all throughout this universe, with two East Conference championships and deep playoff runs, including this one, to show for it.

The defending champions sweep the Bobcats and the Lakers win in five over the Rockets, who really missed Yao in that series.

NBA Finals

The Lakers are back among NBA royalty, but the Raptors have the chance to become the first repeat champions since I entered the NBA.

Point Guard
T.J. Ford vs. Jordan Farmar
Ford has really turned it on in the playoffs, averaging 15.2 points and 10.2 assists. An absolutely sensational pass-first PG with some very nice shooting to go with it.

Farmar has improved slightly in the passing department since playing us, but he's still only averaging 6 assists and 14.2 points. He's clearly outmatched against Ford.

Advantage: Raptors

Shooting Guard
Larry Hughes vs. Kobe Bryant
Hughes has, believe it or not, been Toronto's leading scorer in the playoffs at just shy of 20 points a game. He's not going to do that against Bryant, but that's okay. His biggest job will be limiting Kobe's effectiveness.

25.6 points a game, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals. Yep, Kobe's still the man even at 33. He'll of course remove Hughes as a legitimate offensive force, but that's just fine with the Raptors, who have that awesome front line. The key to this series will be limiting the Lakers' franchise players.

Advantage: Lakers

Small Forward
Andrea Bargnani vs. Lamar Odom
Bargnani might be limited by a sprained wrist, but he's still averaging 17.2 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks as the first part of the Unholy Toronto Trio.

Odom has the same injury and much less glitzy numbers with 9.2 points and 5.6 rebounds, though he holds an edge in averaged playoff steals with 1.9. Still, this one is a major advantage to the Raptors.

Advantage: Raptors

Power Forward
Chris Bosh vs. Derrick Robinson
Don't let the 10.1 points and 5.5 playoff rebounds fool you. Bosh has been limited to 19 minutes a game in this postseason because of a calf injury. He's now back to full health and it couldn't have come at a better possible time for Toronto or a worse time for the Lakers. He is going to be an absolute terror this series.

Robinson's 12.8 points, 6 rebounds, steal and 2.4 blocks might throw some pause into some other opponents. When you're up against Demon #2 of the Toronto Trio, though, you're pretty much done.

Advantage: Raptors

Center
Greg Oden vs. Andrew Bynum
17.6 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in the playoffs, along with the well-deserved reputation of being one of the top defensive centers in the game. Oden will provide a titanic matchup and a thrilling opponent for fans against the Lakers.

Bynum is averaging 23.1 points, 12.6 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. He's the better scorer by far, Oden the better defender by far and they cancel each other out in the rebounding department.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
Forget the benches, this is all about the superstar battle of Bryant and Bynum versus the Raptors' heralded frontcourt. This is where the Lakers' run ends and this is where Toronto becomes the first repeat champion since my NBA entry.
Prediction: Raptors in 5

Game One
[b]Kobe Bryant]/b] scores 28 points and a whole lot of 4: 4 assists, 4 rebounds and 4 steals. Andrew Bynum scores 23, Thabo Sefolosha 11 to beat Chrish Bosh's 26 points, 10 rebounds, Greg Oden's 11 points, 19 rebounds and Mike Patterson's 13 reserve points.
Toronto 97 Los Angeles 106

Game Two
Jordan Farmar is the surprising lead scorer for all teams with 20 points. Andrew Bynum adds 13 points and 12 rebounds, Thabo Sefolosha 13 points as one of the league's most clutch 6th men. Most noteworthy stat for the Raptors? 10 bench points from Quincy Douby. Horrible night by Greg Oden: 3 for 18 for 8 points, even with 21 rebounds. Toronto's lead scorer was T.J. Ford with 16 points.
Toronto 71 Los Angeles 94

Game Three
You didn't really think it was going to end here, did you? Greg Oden goes bezerk for 25 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals as Andrew Bynum played just 15 minutes and fouled out with 0 points. Thabo Sefolosha continues to be hot off the bench with 12 points. I gleefully note his contract is up and make plans to steal him in free agency to be our top reserve guard. The victory's not all good for Toronto, however, as they win by just 9 points in spite of Bynum's goose-egg.
Los Angeles 91 Toronto 100

Game Four
Andrew Bynum gets revenge in a big way with 22 points and 21 rebounds and Kobe Bryant puts on the finishing freeze with 32 points. Rasheed Wallace adds insult to injury with 10 bench points. The best the Raptors can do is 17 points and 14 rebounds from Greg Oden as they hover on elimination's edge.
Los Angeles 109 Toronto 84

Game Five
Toronto will not go down without a fight. Andrea Bargnani puts up 30 points and 13 rebounds, Chris Bosh 22 points as a reserve, again limited by injuries, Mike Patterson starting at SF with 15 points and 14 rebounds and T.J. Ford the finisher with 13 points and 17 assists. Lamar Odom and Derrick Robinson provide the very weak opposition with 13 points, 10 rebounds and 15 points, 11 rebounds respectively.
Los Angeles 82 Toronto 98

Game Six
Oh what a beautiful game it was! Both teams pouring it out and giving their all on the court. Greg Oden had 19 points, 22 rebounds and 4 blocks. Andrea Bargnani scored 24. T.J. Ford was magnificient with 22 points and 13 rebounds. But Lamar Odom scored 21, Thabo Sefolosha 13 and Jordan Farmar led his team with 23 points. One point. One point was all the difference and Thabo Sefolosha was that difference-maker, calmly sinking a bucket as time expired after Farmar fouled out, taking with him Toronto's dynastic dreams and the world's hopes for an even more dramatic Game 7.
Toronto 91 Los Angeles 92

[Autumn]

Wow, an exciting season. You guys still made it pretty far even without Shaq and AI. But it seems like Gordon and Billups lost a step this season (Billups obviously moving back to 6th man). With all those draft picks though you might be able to line up a new superstar. Good luck.

[Izulde]

Wow, an exciting season. You guys still made it pretty far even without Shaq and AI. But it seems like Gordon and Billups lost a step this season (Billups obviously moving back to 6th man). With all those draft picks though you might be able to line up a new superstar. Good luck.

I'd say it's less about Billups losing a step than it is about Buboltz being the real deal. Remember, our budding Brazilian (who incidentally was the 5th Brazilian all-time to be drafted according to the draft blurbs in the game), is just 19 years old and he showed real signs this season of becoming a star. My beloved Mateen Yeaton, by comparison, is 24, and Brian Metcalfe, the guy everybody thought we'd take instead of Buboltz, is 23 and with none of our kid's ceiling.

Gordon was fine in the regular season. The problem there is that the playoffs exposed him for what he is; a sensational scorer and a great player, but one who lacks the -it- factor that marks the Kobe Bryants and AIs of the world. He simply can't carry a franchise by himself.

But we're going to get him some help this offseason. Oh yes we will and those 3 1st round picks will play a part. Just what role, though, I'm not sure yet. :)

[Izulde]

This is my first year on the NBA level where the entire team is guys I drafted, signed or traded for and so I think it's only fitting to put up a final statistics sheet of how everyone did.

278

Mark my words, Buboltz will have a breakout season next year. It seems like the elite young players of recent classes burst through in their second or third season and it'll be Paulinho's third.

Incidentally, I quickly pick up Buboltz and Wright's fourth year options. It may be a bit much on Leroy, but I have a faith he can be a solid bench player for us still.

NBA Lottery
1. Utah Jazz (+6)
2. Chicago Bulls (-1)
3. New York Knicks (-1)
4. New Jersey Nets (-1)
5. New Orleans Hornets (-1)
6. Cleveland Cavaliers (-1)
7. Los Angeles Clippers (-1)
8. Seattle Supersonics
9. Washington Wizards
10. Golden State Warriors
11. Miami Heat
12. Portland Trailblazers
13. Orlando Magic
14. Phoenix Suns

Never a joyous occasion when a division foe gets lucky in the lottery and comes away with the #1 overall pick in the draft. It's going to make an already difficult division even tougher.

NBA Awards
MVP
Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors - 17.4 ppg, 14.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.8 bpg, 1.0 spg
Defensive Player of the Year
Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors - 17.4 ppg, 14.7 rpg, 3.2 apg, 2.8 bpg, 1.0 spg
Rookie of the Year
Tim Davis - Detroit Pistons - 12.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.1 bpg, 0.5 spg
6th Man of the Year
Tim Davis - Detroit Pistons - 12.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 0.1 bpg, 0.5 spg
Coach of the Year
Phil Jackson - Los Angeles Lakers

A double double-sweep of the major awards? Unbelievable. Chris Gearheart got robbed of Rookie of the Year and while Oden had a great season, I don't know that those numbers are MVP-worthy, nor do I think he deserved to stop Andrei Kirilenko's Defensive Player of the Year streak.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Michael Redd - Milwaukee Bucks
SF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
PF Elton Brand - Los Angeles Clippers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Mike Bibby - Houston Rockets
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Carmelo Anthony - New York Knicks
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Rudy Gay - Memphis Grizzlies
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Tracy McGrady - Sacramento Kings
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Baron Davis - Golden State Warriors
SG Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Murray Alexander - Golden State Warriors

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG A.J. Dunkley - Utah Jazz
SG Chris Gearheart - Memphis Grizzlies
SF Dusty Hammond - Atlanta Hawks
PF Ron Collier - Chicago Bulls
C Tim Davis - Detroit Pistons

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Kenny Graham - Golden State Warriors
SG Vince Murray - Atlanta Hawks
SF Georghios Kairis - New York Knicks
PF Michael Shannon - Los Angeles Clippers
C Ryan Sweetwyne - Miami Heat

One question... where's Kyle Hoiberg?

Utah Sixers

PG Brandon Brooks - Portland Trailblazers
Averaged 13.1 points and 8.5 assists. The general consensus seems to be that the 26 year old has tapped out on his potential, the #2 overall pick settled into a very good, but not great PG and definitely not a franchise player.

PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
Another All-Star game appearance and another All-NBA 2nd Team award, in addition to the new All-Defense 2nd Team nod. 18.2 points, 12 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 3.1 blocks and a steal a game have earned him the reputation as one of the best PFs in the league and he's only 23 years old! Will the Hall someday call? It's too early to tell for absolute certain, but he's having a roaring start.

SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat
Brought his points up to 7.3 a game with 3.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, a block and 1.1 steals. Reminds very much of Joakim Noah, who was taken the year before at the exact same 10 spot as I've noted before, only Austin is limited to the forward spots.

C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks
It's a testament to how bad the Knicks still are that they stick with Braun at C and even gave him the most starts of his career year this year at 70. Despite this, he averaged the same 8 points and 6+ rebounds a game he has just about every season. One of the most disappointing wastes of physical potential ever. Oh yes, that reminds me, the Knicks rebounded from last year's 11-win season to win an impressive 25 this year, but they have Ray Allen's 37 year old body flipping off Father Time to score 20.8 points a game to thank for that.

PF B.J. Whitehead - Houston Rockets
Played in a career-high 70 games with 4 starts this year and averaged 5.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. Started all 15 Houston playoff games at C after Yao Ming was lost for the year with a broken finger and averaged 8.9 points and 9.2 rebounds in the postseason. Won't ever be anything more than an average NBA bench player, but he's making over $3 million a year, so we can say that he's made it.

SF Brian Robertson - Free Agent
Robertson didn't even catch on with a D-League team this season and there's reason to believe that this is the end of professional basketball for the 26 year old. Taken in the 2nd at #49 by the Mavericks, if this is the end, Robertson will be best known for two solid seasons as the starting SF with the Fort Worth Colonials.

Next day, Crenshaw calls. I wouldn't say I did excellent like last year, but I'm pleased with how things turned out, all in all. He agrees with my assessment, though I predicted that one, especially since we had a pretty balanced budget this year, sold out the season tickets and got two rounds worth of playoff revenue. We decide that we'll again shoot for the playoffs and right around the cap next season.

[Izulde]

John Paxson, the tool who destroyed Chicago's championship team from a few years ago, makes Scott Skiles and his staff the scapegoat despite the fact that Skiles had to operate a team with 4 rookies making up roughly a third of the roster. I can't wait to see Paxson's ass get fired someday.

Skiles is definitely the hottest coaching commodity, though I'm curious to see where Eric Snow goes. If I wasn't so intent on keeping a tight leash on our budget, I'd fire one of our assistants, probably Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and hire the younger, better and more promising Snow.

Paxson quickly realizes his mistake and re-signs Skiles to return as head coach for 3 years at $3.1 million a year. On the same day, he pulls off a coup in hiring Snow as Skiles's 1st assistant. 3 years, $534,000 a year.

Doug Collins gets a 5 year, $2 mill. per year deal to head up the Hornets and I laugh hysterically for a good three hours a few days later when Seattle signs Isiah Thomas as their head coach for 2 years, $1.5 million a year. They must really be desparate up there in the Coffee Capital.

George Karl is in the final season of his contract. He's been terrific for us and he's willing to take a pay cut from $6.6 million to $5.5 million a year for three years. It's a tough decision and one I'll be agonizing over for quite some time to come.

Mock Draft
There's some glitzy scorers out of the college ranks this year, led by two Big East 20 year old SFs: Jeremy Leach out of Syracuse (36 points, 11.4 rebounds) and David Anyan from Pittsburgh (29.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.8 blocks). The top Cs both spent one year in college, Austin Buller (Boston College) - 29.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and Demarcus Baptist (Michigan State) - 27.4 points, 12.5 rebounds, 1.9 blocks.

Baptist is much more polished, but Buller's bigger size and, from initial reports, greater consistency and defensive skills have me tilting towards him. Baptist is projected to go to the Nets with the 4th pick, Buller to the Clippers at #7.

Currently, with the 15th pick, we're tabbed to take PF Dusty Coursey a 20 year old from Duke who plays a lot bigger than his 6'8, 219 lbs suggests, with an excellent shot. With the 24th selection, the mocks have us at C Adam Phillips, a senior out of Indiana with fluid moves and all the physical abilities to play well, but maddening inconsistency and questionable heart. A second center, Nick King, a senior out of Wake Forest is our presumed man at 26, but he's woefully undersized and his only notable talent is free-throw shooting.

Anyan and Leach should go 1 and 2, so my guess is that we'll need to be ready to move up to somewhere around 4 or 5, because my plan is to grab whatever C is drafted second the pick after first one is taken. Hopefully it'll be Baptist first and a bit closer to the bottom of the Top 10, but I want to bring both in for scouting reports first.

If we didn't already have our PG of the future in Buboltz, I'd be very strongly tempted to take Calvis Graham, the 22 year old from Georgia Tech, projected to be the first PG off the board with the 14th pick. He looks like he has some serious game and if the Suns get him that far down the draft, he should be a steal.

As we start looking over the players to invite to work out, Dusty Coursey, by all reports, has franchise-player type potential, but is extremely raw. Not a good fit for us, who intend to challenge for the championship in the relative short-term.

We bring in the big guys we're interested in for our first round picks and invite a slew of PGs, mostly for 2nd round selections, but one or two first round possibilities in case we can't trade up to get the C we want, or if we're not impressed enough with either of them to move up.

After reviewing the information, we're even more sold on Austin Buller as the guy we want to move to up for. Baptist's work ethic is absolutely horrendous.

2012 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. SF David Anyan - Utah Jazz
2. C Austin Buller - Chicago Bulls

My heart just leapt in my throat and jumped off on a suicide divide to splatter in my stomach. I'm staring at the screen in shock, dismay and disbelief. He was supposed to be -my- pick, -my- C to build around. What the hell do the Bulls want with him at #2 anyway?! Why not take Leach?!

3. SF Jeremy Leach - New York Knicks

Anthony and Leach are going to make a very solid SG/SF combo. For once, the Knicks didn't screw up their selection.

4. C Demarcus Baptist - New Jersey Nets

Baptist fell off our radar after the workouts and at this point, I've decided not to move up, but play the waiting game and see who falls to us with the 15th pick. I don't have any centers left that I like it, so we're going to look at some type of guard or power forward probably.

5. SG Michael Blunt - New Orleans Hornets
6. PF Sean Pryce - Cleveland Cavaliers

...Damn it! Pryce was one I thought for sure would be there at 15, as the mocks had him going 19 to the Pacers. This draft is quickly turning into a nightmare.

There's one PF remaining that I have some liking for, but I'm not sure he's worth trading up for at this point in the draft. Now watch, he'll be the next to go.

7. PF Bill Towns - Los Angeles Clippers

..... *CRACK!*

That was the sound of my brain's sinews snapping or my cellphone hitting the wall and shattering in frustration, I'm not sure which. Anyway, there goes the last big man I really wanted. We're definitely sitting tight now.

8. SG Andre Quarles - Seattle Supersonics

The Sonics were absolutely crushed that Towns went off the pick before theirs and they react by reaching for Quarles, who shows none of the offensive skills that Towns has. At least they'll have fun wallowing in the lottery next year.

9. SF Charles Garren - Washington Wizards
10. PG Calvis Graham - Golden State Warriors

Baron Davis and Graham. Going to be a pretty darn nice backcourt out in Oakland, I tell you that much. Graham was also the last player I deemed worthy of the 15th pick, even though he doesn't fit a need area.

11. SF Jon Wilson - Miami Heat

Bye-bye Julius Austin as a starting SF.

12. C Terrence Howard - Portland Trailblazers
13. SG Kyle Smith - Orlando Magic
14. PG Imari Parker - Phoenix Suns

They're predicting PF Ben Searcy from Pittsburgh or C Marvin Stapleton from Kentucky. ....Yeah, like I'm going to go with a 6'9 finesse C, even if he does weigh 277. As for Searcy, he's got poor rebounding skills and plays softer than the Pillsbury Doughboy.

There -is- a value PF I like for later in the round, but this isn't the spot to take him and I think he'll be available when our second of three 1st round selections comes up.

You know what this means.

Unfortunately, the trade market is extremely brutal. Quality centers are at a premium in this league still, even with the recent influx of good, young fives in the last few years. I try to pry Buller from the Bulls, but they've got a youth movement going on and they won't even consider it without Gordon back in a Bulls uniform, or more preferably, Buboltz.

There's a highly rated PF still left on the board who I didn't scout, along with a guard and the value PF I mentioned whom would both serve a useful role, but both of them would be a reach.

I go back to the dealing board and finally, I get one of the guys I wanted.

Denver Nuggets receive
C Dan Jacobson
Washington Wizards 2012 2nd round pick (39th)
Washington Wizards 2013 2nd round pick
Washington Wizards 2014 2nd round pick

Washington Wizards receive
C Tyson Chandler
SG Luther Head
Denver Nuggets 2012 1st round pick (15th)

What this means for the Nuggets
GM Jestor has long been a fan of Jacobson's game and reportedly considered selecting him with the 6th pick in the 2010 draft before trading down to the 8th spot and taking Paulinho Buboltz, Jacobson the sandwich selection at 7th. He looked much more taking shots in his sophomore season and should be a 10 point, 10 rebound, 2 block average player this year, as he had 10.6 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks last season. He fills Denver's biggest need in a major way. At 7'3, 290 lbs. he's the monster in the middle that Jestor and the Nuggets front office have been said to desperately covet since Shaquille O'Neal left and at 25 years old, he's still got a little more growing room, particularly at defense and shotblocking, which are both already quite good.

What this means for the Wizards
The #15 pick will hopefully give them a chance to find another scorer to pair up with Gilbert Arenas, as he's their only offensive option. Head is a great veteran pickup because he gives the Wizards another player with some passing and ballhandling skills besides Arenas. Chandler provides rebounding punch and will be in the mix to fight for Jacobson's old C spot.

Advantage: Denver
The Nuggets finally get the player they wanted after everyone else on their draft board flew off before their pick came up. More to the point, they're able to keep their other two 1st round selections this draft while doing so.

Whew! -Huge- load off my back and mind.

15. PF Dusty Coursey - Washington Wizards

The analysts are stunned that he wasn't picked before. Umm, maybe because he sucks and my coaching staff absolutely despised him? He doesn't even appear to have the franchise potential everyone was glowing about before the draft and he was raw on top of it, but we'll see how things look after the draft's over.

16. PF Jeremy Diarra - Atlanta Hawks

The highly-rated PF I thought about, but hadn't interviewed and eventually passed on. Considering bypassing him landed me Jacobson, I'm perfectly fine with that.

17. PG Darrell James - Sacramento Kings
18. PG Craig Shehan - Memphis Grizzlies
19. PF Sean Bergmann - Indiana Pacers

There goes the PF I thought would last until the 24th pick, but the Pacers, who look a lot like us in a lot of ways, jumped on him. Great minds think alike, I guess.

20. PF Ben Searcy - Boston Celtics
21. PG JJ Alvin - Milwaukee Bucks
22. SG Kevin Floyd - Minnesota Timberwolves

The last guy I knew for sure I really wanted was tabbed by the experts to go to the Pistons, so I very quickly called them and offered to flip-flop picks in exchange for their taking the 39th pick I got from the Jacobson trade. They accepted and I was able to get my final man.

23. SG Duez Walker - Denver Nuggets

I loved this guy when we brought him in for a workout. Good shooting ability with some pretty decent ballhandling skills for an off-guard. I think he's got a good shot of at least partially supplanting Chauncey Billups's role as the scorer off the bench. Good team guy and a hard worker. The TV men like the pick, too.

24. SG Rico Wolfe - Detroit Pistons

I considered Wolfe as well, but at 6'8, 190 lbs, he just struck me as awfully frail, not to mention which, there were some character issues surrounding him and the staff didn't like him as much as they did Walker.

25. PG Jamar Barnes - Dallas Mavericks

The talking heads are saying we're going to trade the 26th pick and I'm somewhat tempted to do that, but I also see a few players worth taking a flyer on. After some looking, hemming and hawing, I make my choice.

26. SF Jerrance Newman - Denver Nuggets

We get slammed on the selection, but it's not suprising. I never do well on these flyers.

That's our last selection this draft, so I take off the rest of the night after reviewing the first round.

27. SG Beau King - San Antonio Spurs
28. PG George Greene - Houston Rockets
29. PG Brian McNeill - Toronto Raptors
30. SF Ben Larson - Los Angeles Lakers

Raymond Badu is a SF the ESPN guys have been chatting up for most of the late 1st round, but he hasn't been taken. He finally goes, ironically enough, with the 39th overall pick that I traded to the Pistons, the 9th pick in the 2nd round.

In the post-draft review, Duez Walker doesn't appear to have the passing game I'd originally hoped for, but Jerrance Newman balances that somewhat by having some potential to be a legit bench player, despite the boos. Dan Jacobson, our shiny, minty new C looks like he could become even better under our staff than we'd dared to bargain for and I hastily sign his fourth year option. Walker, by the way, can play three positions, which will come in handy.

There's going to be hell to pay when he and Buboltz come to their extensions. I quickly come to terms with Jacobson on a 4 year, $28.4 million extension that'll pay him just shy of $8 million in the final season, when he'll be 30. It's a comparatively cheap salary relative to the impact he can have. Buboltz wants $12 million base, so I'm going to have to hold off on him and see what he can show me this year.

One problem with Newman. He's a cancer waiting to happen, so I quickly turn around and pawn him off.

Denver Nuggets receive
PG Leigh Nash

Boston Celtics receive
SF Jerrence Newman

What this means for the Nuggets
Denver's accumulating a lot of Class of 2010 players lately and Nash is another one. GM Jestor calls the 2010 one of the greatest draft classes to ever appear in the NBA. We're not sure about that, but Nash has some definite potential to be a good combo guard with some nice defense. He didn't play much in Boston, only averaging 5 minutes a game his first two seasons and he may not see even that much, given the presence of rookie Duez Walker, but he's worth a shot.

What this means for the Celtics
We're not sure why Newman was dealt immediately after being drafted, but we've heard rumors of an incident with one of the Nuggets that led to his being traded. He doesn't appear to have as much upside as Nash, either, although he does help push Donte Smith further down the bench.

Advantage: Denver
Boston gave up one of their hardest-working, most genial guys for a player whose team ethos is questionable, has lower upside and who doesn't really fill a role on their team. A win for the Nuggets, however small it might be.

I pick up Nash's 4th year option and renounce all our expiring contracts, which gives us $8.4 million in cap space for free agency and we have 3 slots to fill. All of our money is going to one player probably and then we'll min-sal the other guys.

Summer League

Leigh Nash, Duez Walker, Leroy Wright and Dan Jacobson were all put on the Summer League team. For some reason, Paulinho Buboltz wasn't eligible, though I have no idea why and I couldn't get a straight answer from the league office.

In any event, we beat the Mavericks 89-75 in Game 1 of Summer League as Dan Jacobson double-doubles with 12 points and 16 rebounds, Duez Walker scores 17 and Leigh Nash contributes 14 points off the bench.

Good start, but we lose 96-86 to Golden State the next game as Calvis Graham drops 30 points on us. If it wasn't for getting Jacobson, I'd love to have seen Graham fall to us. A future backcourt of him and Buboltz at PG and SG respectively would give the other teams in the league nightmares for years.

We win the next two games to assure ourselves at bare minimum a winning record, but it's a little perturbing that Dan Jacobson isn't dominating, although he did get 16 points and 14 rebounds and thoroughly owned Austin Buller in a blowout win over the Bulls.

But who knows? Maybe I'm worrying too much. In any case, we go 4-2 in summer league and Mackel Greenleaf, the former Rocket and Austin Mammoth, catches my eye with his passing skills. He may be worth a min-sal look.

Boy, am I glad I didn't take Dusty Coursey. Not only is he so raw he's 2nd round pick raw, even if he reaches his potential, he'll be a revolving door on defense. Heck, even Joakim Noah could drop 30 points on him.

A handful of interesting free agents this year, though nothing like last year's banner crop. Carmelo Anthony, Kelvin Moody, Allen Iverson, Nigel Abel, Ronny Smith, Ray Allen, Tyrus Thomas, Jason Terry, Kevin Garnett and Gerald Wallace are the most intriguing names.

Ronny Smith makes me laugh. He wants a max deal. No way in hell that's happening, though somebody will be dumb enough to give it to him.

So we're going to sit and wait a few days to see what shakes out.

Moody re-signs with Minnesota for the maximum. No surprise there. Nor is it a surprise with Carmelo and TT re-up with New York and Philly for max deals a few days later.

We make our big splash fairly early on in free agency, inking SF Al Thornton to 5 year, $44.5 million contract. Did we overpay? Yeah, probably, but we need scoring options off the bench and Thornton can provide that to both forward spots, something we needed.

Ronny Smith re-signs with New York to a 6 year, $69.6 mill. deal, so the Knicks don't go max deal. Smart move. Kevin Garnett takes $11 million and one more year with the Timberwolves, even though I was sure he'd jump teams.

A player who did switch was Chris Kaman, who got $38.2 million for 5 years from the Pistons, making me feel a lot better about the Thornton deal, even though Kaman's taking over as C and shifting Tim Davis to PF. 7'3, 294 lbs at PF and 7'0, 268 lbs at C. It's the kind of size I dream about.

We get a couple more min-sals to beef up our bigs in Tiago Splitter and Ben Wallace, even though Big Ben is old like Shaq now. The news goes practically unnoticed though, in the wake of a huge signing.

Nigel Abel, the scoring star on par with Mateen Yeaton and another member of that dynamite 2010 class, spurned the New Orleans Hornets and took 5 years, $52 million from the Miami Heat. Oh man, oh man. A Dwayne Wade-Nigel Abel backcourt. I'm faint just imagining that possiblity. It makes the Bibby-Hinrich backcourt of the champion Bulls a few years back look D-League level in comparison. On the same day, Utah Sixer Julius Austin re-signs with Miami for 5 years, $31.6 million. Miami is going to be good this year and might even challenge Charlotte for the division.

Tim Duncan follows KG's suit in taking a one year deal to stay with his old team.

We grab Sebastian Telfair on a min-sal, just because the guy always had potential and I like to stash pass-first PGs with good ball-handling skills.

We're at 13 players now and $3 million over the cap, but there's one more guy I want to go get.

The Knicks re-sign Ray Allen, the Bobcats Gerald Wallace and I think I'm going to stop commenting on re-signings. Just assume that they happen.

Chauncey Billups signs with the Spurs for $6 million and San Antonio should re-emerge as a Western Conference power now.

Grr. I lose out on Thabo Sefolosha as he opts to take the Hornets' two-year min sal instead of ours. Evidently he wanted to go East or South for whatever reason. Bah!

Starbury signs with Toronto, which amuses me. Yeah, that's going to get the Raptors their title back all right.

I kick myself when I see I could've gotten Ike Diogu back on a min-sal, but he defected to the 76ers. Oh well, I still think he was a flash in the pan type. Mackel Greenleaf, who intrigued me, got $3 million to play another year with Houston. We sign Desmond Mason to a min-sal to bolster our bench defense some more.

And the apocalypse hits.

Shaquille O'Neal - 1 year, $2.1 million - New York Knicks

Training Camp

This will be Paulinho Buboltz's breakout year. I said it last June and I'm saying it again now. He looked great in camp. Duez Walker doesn't appear to have the scoring we'd hoped for, but he looks like he might have better all-around skills than anticipated.

We have very, very high hopes for Dan Jacobson this year as well. Mehmet Okur has lost a step, but should still be solid. Enough babbling.

Projected 2012-13 Opening Day Denver Nuggets Lineup
PG Paulinho Buboltz
SG Ben Gordon
SF Caron Butler
PF Mehmet Okur
C Dan Jacobson
6th Joakim Noah (SF/PF/C)
7th Duez Walker (PG/SG/SF)
8th Al Thornton (SF/PF)
9th Leroy Wright (SF/PF/C)
10th Tiago Splitter (SF/PF/C)
11th Sebastian Telfair (PG)
12th Desmond Mason (SG/SF)

Inactive
13th Leigh Nash (PG/SG)
14th Ben Wallace (PF/C)

Leroy Wright really regressed this offseason and could see himself on the trading block soon. But overall, I feel like this team is a lot stronger than last year's, if only because we've finally got a legitimate starting C. Walker honestly doesn't strike me as being worthy of the 7th man spot, but the coaches have faith in him.

I'd call us a playoff team, but our chances of a third straight division title in my tenure look awfully slim I'd say.

We're picked for the playoffs in the preview mags and that's at 4th in the division behind perennial preseason power Portland, rated #1 in the conference again, Minnesota (#2) and Utah (#7), just ahead of us. Yeah, okay I know they got the #1 pick, but I know we're better than the Jazz.

The Raptors are again the top choice in the East, even though Chris Bosh is coming off the bench as the 6th man. Interesting choice, but apparently the team is really high on Mike Patterson, a fourth-year at SF, Bargnani at PF and Oden at C and feel that Bosh could do more damage by rampaging on other teams' 2nd units.

Funniest thing about the preview mag: The New York Knicks as the #2 seed in the conference. Their starting lineup:

PG Johnny Willias (more on him later - it's 3 am here and I have to be up in 5 hours)
SG Ray Allen
SF Carmelo Anthony
PF Ronny Smith
C Shaquille O'Neal (39 years old, almost 40 year old Shaq, mind you).

[Autumn]

Bad luck with those centers in the draft. I hope this new guy works out for you. I wasn't able to open that stats attachment you did, I'd be interested in seeing how Billups, Gordon and Buboltz's lines looked over the last two years.

[Swaggs]

I'm really enjoying this one.

I was away from internet access for a few days and enjoyed catching up. Keep up the good work. :)

[Izulde]

Autumn: Thanks. I think Jacobson will work out, to be honest. I've had my eye on him ever since the 2010 draft and he's developing really nicely in my opinion.

As far as our three guards go...


Chauncey Billups
2010 82 games/72 starts 19.5 ppg 9.2 apg 3.2 rpg 0.9 spg 2.5 topg
2011 76 games/39 starts 14.9 ppg 6.6 apg 2.1 rpg 0.6 spg 2.0 topg

Ben Gordon
2010 82 games/82 starts 25.9 ppg 3.6 apg 3.7 rpg 1.3 spg 2.4 topg
2011 82 games/82 starts 24.8 ppg 3.7 apg 4.3 rpg 1.5 spg 2.3 topg

Paulinho Buboltz
2010 82 games/0 starts 5.2 ppg 2.5 apg 0.9 rpg 0.5 spg 1.2 topg
2011 54 games/43 starts 11.8 ppg 7.2 apg 2.5 rpg 1.5 spg 2.4 topg

Billups is starting at PG for the Spurs right now, in case you were wondering.

A caveat to Buboltz's rookie numbers: he only averaged 12.1 mpg, versus 28.6 mpg last season. My expectation is that his minutes will go up this year along with all of his other stats.

Swaggs: Glad to have you back and to hear that you're still enjoying it. :)

[Izulde]

I've got this nagging feeling that we're thin this year, though it's probably just my paranoia that we have no legitimate centers outside of Dan Jacobson. Or maybe it's because it's George Karl's contract year, or perhaps it's because Chauncey Billups, our security blanket 6th man and combo guard, is now back in a starting role over in San Antonio.

The queasiness in my stomach doesn't let up any when we open against the Lakers on Halloween night, but a lot of the tension goes away when we pull off the one-point 105-104 upset as Ben Gordon scores 24 and Dan Jacobson has a great Denver debut with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 3 blocks.

I'm even gladder than ever that I got Jacobson this offseason when the team doc informs us after the game that Joakim Noah broke his finger and he'll be out a month and a half. Granted, Leroy Wright filled in admirably as a starting C his rookie season, but he's actually regressed, not progressed.

Fun game against the Timberwolves next, with three Nuggets scoring 20 points or more: Ben Gordon (27), Paulinho Buboltz (22) and Dan Jacobson (20). Al Thornton gives us the bench offense we signed him for with 11 points in the 111-105 victory.

Our record runs to 3-0 thanks to Mehmet Okur, who has one of his singlehanded game-takeover performances with 27 points and 13 rebounds to top Utah 118-109.

This is looking an awful lot like last year's schedule so far and I'm not surprised when I see a doubleheader up next, which includes a second game against the Jazz, followed by the Supersonics the next night. In fact, it's the exact same schedule as last year's so far. The Jazz nip us 108-104 to end our unblemished start, despite 31 points from Ben Gordon and 15 bench points from Al Thornton. Seattle turns it into a losing streak, downing us 128-117 even though Ben Gordon scored 30 and Paulinho Buboltz had 26 points and 13 assists. Brooks Smith, a fifth-year player who came out of the blue to be an All-Star last year is off to a fiery start again this season with 43 points against us. Smith was drafted 18th overall in the 2008 draft and didn't look like much until the 2010 season, when he erupted for 22.5 points a game in his first year as a full-time starter for Seattle.

Detroit two nights later and we win 104-96 as Ben Gordon scores 25, Dan Jacoboson puts up 11 points and 12 rebounds and Paulinho Buboltz has 12 points and 15 assists. The schedule is still the same to the T as last year's and it's really starting to annoy me.

On the road against Sacramento, where we lost last year. We win this time, again 104-96, as Dan Jacobson leads the team with 21 points and 15 rebounds and rookie Duez Walker has a career-high 12 points from the bench. All five starters save for Caron Butler scored at least 12 points in the victory.

Toronto whips us 105-88 to kill the win streak dreams. Caron Butler had 14 points and 11 rebounds, but the Raptors have restored Chris Bosh to the starting lineup and that much interior muscle is too much for us to overcome, even with Jacobson.

Ugh. I just looked ahead and the entire effing schedule is a repeat of last year's.

Great, just great. It wouldn't hurt to actually -gasp- have some freaking originality from the NBA scheduling office, would it? What the hell have those bastards been doing all fucking offseason anyway?

Double and triple UGH!

Anyway, we beat the still ridiculously young Bulls 105-87 as Ben Gordon scores 28, Paulinho Buboltz has 16 points and 11 assists and Al Thornton contributes 10 points off the bench. At least Gordon and Buboltz have been refreshingly consistent so far.

The Mavericks look just silly in losing 130-87 to us. Ben Gordon is still on fire with 40 points, Paulinho Buboltz doubles with 13 points and 15 assists and Sebastian Telfair has 10 points benchside.

We break the 130 point barrier again by outrunning the Nets 135-123. Ben Gordon has his second straight 40+ point game with 46 and Duez Walker shows off some sleek shooting skills in getting 18 points with the second team.

My least-favorite doubleheader up next, the Spurs and the Rockets. We edge out San Antonio 100-93 behind a balanced offense led by Ben Gordon (23 points), Paulinho Buboltz (22 points), Dan Jacobson (11 points, 11 rebounds[/b] and Duez Walker (10 bench points). Chauncey Billups is the 6th man for some reason, but had 18 points for the Spurs. If you'd told me before the Houston game that Dan Jacobson would have 14 points and 18 rebounds and Yao Ming 6 points and 9 rebounds and we'd still lose, I'd have called you a cracksmoker, but that's what happened. 100-87 loss as Mike Bibby scores 37 and Richard Hamilton puts up 24 points to out-star-backcourt us.

No problems vs. New Orleans, Ben Gordon scoring 26 to go with double-doubles from Mehmet Okur (12 points, 10 rebounds) and [b]Dan Jacobson (20 points, 12 rebounds). Leroy Wright is trying to prove he's still relevant by scoring 10 in reserve time.

My restored calm is burst in a 121-82 home blowout against the Cavaliers. Cleveland actually looks like they have some offense this year after signing 23 year old John Aylsworth, a fourth-year and former 1st round pick of the Jazz (#13 overall) in free agency, who's having a breakout season thus far. Mehmet Okur has 13 points and 10 rebounds, Paulinho Buboltz 15 points and 11 assists, but pretty much everyone sucks it to end the month.

Still, we're leading the division after the first month at 10-5, a game and a half ahead of Minnesota. The defending champion Lakers are looking great again at 14-2, though the Mavericks are a surprising 13-4.

The Raptors are schooling the East at 15-2 as expected. Oh, and the alleged *snicker* 2nd best team in the conference, the New York Knicks?

4-10 in November with nary an injury to excuse them. I mean hell, we're missing our best defender not named Dan Jacobson and we're still ahead in a competitive division.

[Izulde]

Schedulegate resolves itself by the NBA firing all their scheduling people and announcing that from here on out, all teams will play the exact same schedule every year to "help save on administrative costs." Disappointing to hear, but that's how the cookie crumbles.

I call George Karl into my office and give him the terms of getting a contract extension. Make the Western Conference finals or do better and he'll get an extension. Lose in the first round and he'll be coaching somewhere else next year. Anything in-between will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

He communicates his understanding, but reminds me that our Finals run two years ago came about because we had a superstar in Allen Iverson and we have no superstar players on this team.

He's right and it's something to think about as the season goes.

No trades last month, which is a little surprising.

Just for the heck of it, I start making some calls to see what it'd take to bring in a superstar. Believe it or not, there's a few teams that are very interested in talking, especially with what I put up to offer.

There's one team in particular that I'd be very pleased to make the deal with, but it would involve trading one of my boys, the one I'm most reluctant to part with. It would also mean a major hit to my big-man corps.

You know, I just can't do it. I thought I could trade away Ben Gordon, but I'm absolutely loathe to do it.

We beat the Heat 96-77 as Mehmet Okur, the other key part who would've been traded, puts up 16 points and 10 rebounds, Dan Jacobson nice as well with 15 points and 14 boards. Duez Walker scored 10 as the bench highlight.

A balanced offense led by 20 points a piece from Ben Gordon and Paulinho Buboltz, along with 13 and 10 points off the bench from Al Thornton and Leroy Wright takes out the Magic 115-83.

Mehmet Okur has 14 points and 12 rebounds, Ben Gordon 30 points and Paulinho Buboltz 18 points and 12 assists, but the Wizards still beat us 107-98.

To trade or not to trade? That's the big question hanging over all our heads.

I trade.

Denver Nuggets receive
PF Emeka Okafor

Charlotte Bobcats receive
SF Caron Butler
2013 Washington Wizards 2nd round pick
2014 Washington Wizards 2nd round pick

What this means for the Nuggets
Okafor has been on GM Jestor's radar for quite some time and was almost traded to the Nuggets last year when they landed Mehmet Okur instead. Emeka is a huge defensive and rebounding presence that will probably start at PF and see Okur shift to SF. He'll be a critical piece as Denver tries to counter the frontcourt strength of teams like the Lakers and Rockets.

What this means for the Bobcats
Charlotte really needs more scoring offense if they're going to have a hope of winning the East conference crown again any time soon and Butler can give them that. After a game or two as the 6th man to adjust to the new team, much like Okafor in Denver, Caron likely slots in as the starting SG, where he'd be a signicant upgrade over Josh Smith. They also get likely high 2nd round picks for the next two drafts which gives them more tickets to try and find a gem.

Advantage: Draw
Both teams got something they needed out of this one, while giving something in return. It's a little surprising to see GM Jestor trade Butler, his fellow Racinian, but reports out of Denver suggest the Nuggets front office was frustrated with Butler's inconsistency.

They're right, I was. I also, for some reason, didn't feel quite the bond with Caron that I do Ben, who was the other major piece we had to dangle in front of teams and who I almost traded to the Wizards for Gilbert Arenas before deciding I didn't have the heart for it. And at least I traded Caron to a winning team, so he'll be able to experience the playoffs again, only over in the East.

We lose 125-115 to the Raptors in the next game, even though Ben Gordon scores 29, Paulinho Buboltz is electrifying with 23 points and 10 assists before fouling out and Dan Jacobson is absolutely amazing with 20 points and 23 rebounds. Al Thornton added in an impressive 24 points in his starting debut. Honestly, I'm pretty excited about this loss, weird as it sounds. This was a competitive game in Toronto and Jacobson hassled Greg Oden all game. Once we get the better defense Emeka Okafor in the starting lineup, I think we'll be able to be a real threat against teams like the Raptors.

The Knicks go down 120-109, Ben Gordon the lead Knick-crusher with 33 points, Paulinho Buboltz the #2 man with 24 points and 11 assists and some nice bench play from Duez Walker (12 points) and Emeka Okafor (13 rebounds).

Emeka Okafor gets his first start at PF against the 76ers, but the resulting game is a disaster. Mehmet Okur had 0 points, bringing back memories of Joakim Noah and not a single Nugget had double-digit points except for Ben Gordon, who tried his damndest with 49 points in the 101-86 loss.

We rally to just barely beat Boston 104-100 in the next game of the doubleheader, Dan Jacobson with 15 points and 18 rebounds, Ben Gordon with 36 points and Tiago Splitter a surprise bench scorer with 10 points.

The second doubleheader of this East Coast road-trip is a split, too. Miami falls 108-90 as Emeka Okafor is magnificient with 18 points and 12 rebounds and Leroy Wright has 10 bench points as the 6th man. Interesting Heat team, with Dwayne Wade, Allen Iverson and the stunning Nigel Abel (by the way, another 2010 class guy), but have a horrendous frontcourt in T.J. Roberts, a 4th year 22 year old who isn't as good as he could be and Ryan Sweetwyne, who frankly isn't ready to be an NBA starter. Really nice guy, though. Against Orlando, Dan Jacobson is awe-inspiring with 32 points and 15 rebounds and Paulinho Buboltz gets 13 points and 11 assists, but Mehmet Okur is really struggling to adapt to SF and 6 Magic score 12 points or more as we go down 110-99.

Back home against Phoenix, we win 106-91, Ben Gordon the top scorer with 30 points a game, Mehmet Okur finally snapping out of the SF slump with 15 points and 14 rebounds and Leroy Wright with 11 bench points. Dan Jacobson, as a fascinating side note, scored 0 points and didn't take a single shot all game long, as he was limited to 26 minutes due to foul trouble. It's a mark of how good this team is becoming that we were able to overcome that and still win against a faded, but still respectable Suns squad.

We welcome back Joakim Noah against the Supersonics and he promptly goes out and scores 10 points as a reserve. Dan Jacobson bounced back with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Mehmet Okur continuing to look much more comfortable with 20 points and 11 boards. Brooks Smith was held to 19 points, a far cry from the 43 he had last time.

A tough 96-88 loss to Dallas on the first half of the now-annual Christmas doubleheader follows, in which no one shot well with the exception of Joakim Noah, who had 11 points in reserve duty. Dirk Nowtizki thrashed us for 39 points and, yeah, just ugly all around. Ben Gordon rescues us against Golden State with 46 points, as we have to start Joakim Noah at C because Dan Jacobson has a nagging finger injury. Jacobson scores 10 points off the bench though, as does Sebastian Telfair in the 109-86 victory to salvage a split.

Another game, another frustrating loss to the 76ers, this time 105-100. Emeka Okafor has 17 points and 11 rebounds, Joakim Noah 12 points, 11 boards, but it's amazing to see just how weaker a team we are without Dan Jacobson starting.

We close out the calendar year with a doubleheader against the Los Angeles teams. Well, okay, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, but still. The Lakers beat us 112-106 on the road. Ben Gordon leads us with 31 points and Duez Walker and Al Thornton have 10 bench points, but Andrew Bynum just tears Joakim Noah apart for 34 points and 13 rebounds. The encouraging thing is, we played them close on the road even without Jacobson starting. We crush the Clippers 117-99 at home as Ben Gordon scores 35 and Al Thornton and Duez Walker add 16 and 10 points with the second team respectively.

So we're 19-12 right now, a half-game BEHIND the Timberwolves (18-10). That's not cool. Dallas is just on fire lately, heading the West with a 25-5 record, followed by Houston at 22-9 and the Lakers, who are 20-8. There's a lot of really good teams in the conference this year, which is worrying.

Over in the East, it's still Toronto at 25-7. The Bobcats haven't missed a beat either, though, and are 2nd at 21-7. They've got Caron Butler starting at PF and while he's been inconsistent, he's given them precisely the scoring boost they were looking for.

Charlotte's got an interesting starting five right now.

PG Adam Morrison
SG Josh Smith
SF Gerald Wallace
PF Caron Butler
C Channing Frye

I'd like to point out that I'm the one responsible for their having Butler and Frye. Frye's been the starting C for most of his career with the Bobcats and the model of obscene consistency: 11.6, 11.6, 11.2, 12.8, 11.2, 11.5 (to date) points averaged and 1.8, 2.0, 1.6, 1.9, 1.7 and 1.5 (to date) assists. While less consistent in rebounds, he's ranged from 7.4-8.5 rebounds a season each year as well.

Charlotte fans can't say they don't know what they're getting out of Frye every year that's for sure.

[rjolley]

Adam Morrison at the point? Butler as a 4? That's crazy.

Enjoying the dynasty. Makes me want to go out and pick up the game...

[Izulde]

Adam Morrison at the point? Butler as a 4? That's crazy.

Enjoying the dynasty. Makes me want to go out and pick up the game...

Morrison at the point is pretty crazy, I agree. Butler as a 4 makes some sense, though, because Gerald Wallace is 6'7 and would be way overmatched at the 4 in my opinion.

If I were the Bobcats, I'd go with this:

PG Brevin Knight
SG Adam Morrison
SF Gerald Wallace
PF Caron Butler
C Channing Frye
6th Josh Smith

Glad you're enjoying the dynasty. :) It's a really fun game. My biggest complaints are the occasional RTE:0 RTE:440 combo that means you have to re-install and re-boot, but that's why I save after every game now and the default schedule not changing.

All in all, though, for me personally, it ranks as one of the most addicting sports sims and games I've ever played.

[Izulde]

Two December trades besides ours. Oh yeah, the Knicks are 7-23 after two months of play.

Memphis Grizzlies receive
SG Durko Jagr
Chicago Bulls 2013 2nd round pick

Chicago Bulls receive
PG Craig Shehan
PG Keith Harris

What this means for the Grizzlies
They like Chris Gearheart's potential to play PG, so Jagr gives them an upgrade to SG after raw, but talented 3rd year Steve Neal was lost for the year with a torn Achilles. Jagr is, in all actuality, an average all-around player with not much upside, although he did average 12.4 points in 20 starts for the Bulls last year. The high second round pick might be the best part of this deal.

What this means for the Bulls
Rookie Shehan is extremely raw, but has some potential as a starter if Chicago doesn't mind having no defense at the spot. Harris is a mediocre second-year, better suited to SG. The trade does give the Bulls much-need backcourt youth, but all in all, it's not very good.

Advantage: Memphis
The 2nd round pick has the most potential value out of anything here and Jagr is more polished than the two players he was dealt for.

Memphis Grizzlies receive
PG Maurice Williams
Atlanta Hawks 2013 2nd round pick

Atlanta Hawks receive
SF Eric Hicks

What this means for the Grizzlies
Williams is your typical veteran bench guard and the 2nd round pick is probably a mid-rounder. Not much here for Memphis, although he does bring good defense to the table.

What this means for the Hawks
Hicks can score some, but he's as unexciting as Williams and just as buried on the bench.

Advantage: Memphis
A dull deal, though Memphis gets a shot at youth, so they win.

The nasty San Antonio/Houston doubleheader are our first games of the month which isn't good for our prospects of catching the Timberwolves. We get clobbered 110-83 by the Spurs, Duez Walker's 12 points off the bench our best showing. No problem though, as we steal a 96-95 comeback thriller against the Rockets behind all five starters with 11 points or more, Ben Gordon tops at 24 points, Dan Jacobson with 16 points, 17 rebounds and 5 blocks.

Another back-to-back, Kings and Lakers. We lose both games as everyone plays for absolute shit and I'm privately reviewing head coaching candidates after that one.

We snap the small slump against the team we needed to most. Minnesota had no answer for Ben Gordon's 27 points or Emeka Okafor's 13 points and 13 rebounds in the vital 103-84 home win.

I expect us to sweep our next doubleheader and we do, punching out Golden State 93-83 as all five starters hit double-digit points and Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson with 10 points and 11 rebounds and 20 points and 11 rebounds respectively. Seattle bows down 119-100 as Ben Gordon scores 43, Dan Jacobson has 11 points and 13 rebounds and Leroy Wright contributes 10 points on the second team.

We keep the winning going by abusing the Grizzlies 112-96. Always nice to get a victory over a team that gives us problems. Ben Gordon leads again with 31 points, Emeka Okafor puts up 17 points, 10 boards and 4 rejections and Duez Walker continues to flash tantalizing hints of scoring ability with 15 points off the bench.

I honestly think the Mavericks are overachieving relative to their talent level and we prove that by dismantling them 105-90 on the road. Paulinho Buboltz has a terrific game with 32 points, 8 assists, a rebound, a block and 4 steals and Duez Walker scores 18 as a reserve. Those 32 points are a career high for Buboltz, the first time he's scored 30 or more in a game. Here's to hoping for more of those from the 20 year old.

The annual four-game Midwest road trip with back-to-backs kicks off with a beaut of a sweep. Chicago can't handle us in a 114-101 win as Ben Gordon scores 28 and Emeka Okafor has 19 points and 11 rebounds. We take down Detriot the next night 114-100, Ben Gordon again the top man with 33 points and Emeka Okafor doubles again with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Al Thornton has 14 points to lead the subs.

The Bucks thrash us by 19 points even though we get doubles from Dan Jacobson (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Emeka Okafor (12 points, 10 rebounds for 3rd straight double-double). We complete the road trip with a winning record, though, beating Indiana 96-78. Dan Jacobson has 17 points and 18 rebounds, Duez Walker the best reserve with 10 points. Mateen Yeaton scores 22 and is averaging a career-high 23.9 points halfway through the season, along with 1.8 blocks a game, which would actually tie last year if he stays at that level.

Yet another back-to-back completes January. We demolish the Knicks 124-79 as Ben Gordon scores 36 points and Joakim Noah adds 12 bench points. The highest point-total by a Knick starter? 13 by Carmelo Anthony, one of only two New York players to hit double digits. The month ends on a sour note with 100-95 road loss to Portland, despite Dan Jacobson's 16 points and 13 rebounds. I hate playing the Trailblazers, I really do. They underachieve and underachieve and suddenly turn it on when playing us.

Even though we lost, we've wrested the division lead back and are 29-17, a game ahead of the Timberwolves. Portland's actually close to .500 at 21-23. The Mavericks in front at 36-8, the Rockets not far off the pace at 35-12. The Lakers are currently 29-14.

Two 30-win teams in the East, Toronto dominating at 35-11, the Bobcats 30-12 as their goofy lineup is still paying off. Indiana, I'm sorry to report, is struggling at 19-25. The Knicks on the other hand, much to my unbridled glee , are last and least at 9-36, behind even the 11-32 Bulls.

Lebron James brings us back to the days of 30+ or better club with 33.8 points. Gilbert Arenas, who I almost traded for, is second with 29 points and our own Ben Gordon is third with a 26 point per game average.

Dwayne Wade and Baron Davis are averaging 10.8 and 10.3 assists respectively. Paulinho Buboltz is 12th with 8.5 dishes a game.

Greg Oden once again leads in rebounds with 13.4, though there's a handful of guys averaging 12 boards or better, including David Lee, whose trade from Chicago to Orlando I think I covered but I don't know if I did it or not. It was last year or the year before, anyway. For the first time since I've been here, we have a player in the Top 25 in rebounding and that's Dan Jacobson, 21st, with 9.2 boards a game.

Andrei Kirilenko leads in blocks again with 3.7, Josh Smith and Elton Brand in the 3+ club with 3.3 and 3 respectively. Gerald Wallace is the lone player averaging 2 or better steals at 2.5. Lebron James and, ironically enough, Caron Butler are tied for 2nd with 1.8 a game. Paulinho Buboltz and Ben Gordon are both averaging 1.6 steals.

Five rookies currently in double-digit point averages: Austin Buller (12.1), Charles Garren and Bill Towns (10.5) and Darrell James and Demarcus Baptist (10.0)

Darrell James is dominanting in class assists with 6.8, Calvis Graham second with 3.4. Demarcus Baptist leads in rebounds with 9.2 boards a game, Austin Buller second with 7.6. Marvis Stapleton is tops in blocks with 1.8 a game and no one else is even remotely close. Darrell James and Charles Garren both have 1.1 steals a game and Bill Towns is just behind at a steal per contest.

James honestly isn't all that. He's just got the benefit of being the only guard starting for his team. Graham is a very good prototypical PG blocked by Baron Davis and Jason Richardson at the guard spots.

If it wouldn't disrupt team harmony, I'd be tempted to go and get him.

[Swaggs]

Is Buboltz starting to fill out his ratings yet? If so, is he looking more like a PG or a 2?

Also, does Duez Walker look like he could potentially become a starter or is he looking like a depth guy, long-term? If a starter, which spot?

[cubboyroy1826]

Great stuff as usual. I have not had anytime to fire up the game with family in town for the week. Up late making conversation and playing games. They just do not seem to get the fact i am very anti-social.:)

[Izulde]

Swaggs: He is indeed.

Inside Shooting: 18/20
Outside Shooting: 80/88
Free Throw Shooting: 58/63
Scoring: 80/87
Passing: 69/73
Handling: 63/66
Offensive Rebounding: 43/46
Defensive Rebounding: 42/45
Defense: 51/54
Shot Blocking: 43/46
Stealing: 89/93
Drawing Fouls: 48/60
Discipline: 63/66
Intelligence: 63/66
Endurance: 98/98

He's certainly proven capable of playing the point (2.8 A/TO ratio), but his ballhandling has him, in my ideal lineup, playing the 2.

Walker's 6'5, 199 lbs and I see him in much the same way as I originally saw Leroy Wright, an excellent 3-position reserve (PG/SG/SF in Walker's case), but not one you'd necessarily want to have starting. In my own opinion, because of his shooting and scoring talents, Walker would make a great offensive sparkplug/6th man off the bench. Don't see him as anything more than a mediocre starter and if he did start, I'd say either SG or SF.

cubboyroy1826: I know the feeling. :D Glad you're still enjoying!

Edit: Sorry I've been mis-spelling your name. This whole time I've been reading it as cubbyroy and just now noticed it's cubboyroy :o

[Izulde]

If there were trades this past month, I hope they were more exciting than the two yawners the month before.

L.A. Clippers receive
SG Michael Blunt

New Orleans Hornets receive
PG Gabe Rosen
L.A. Clippers 2013 1st round pick

What this means for the Clippers
Blunt, taken with the 5th overall pick in the most recent draft, is still green but has the potential to be a decent scoring SG and is part of an intriguing young Clippers core that includes Brian Metcalfe, Kyle Hoiberg and Bill Towns. For right now though, he's on the bench and getting limited minutes, despite having been one of the most popular players in the country in college.

What this means for the Hornets
Rosen could become an average pass-first PG and the 26 year old fourth-year, taken with the 20th pick in the 2009 draft will definitely see his share of development time as the first guard off the bench. In prior years, the 1st round pick would be a sure-fire lottery suggestion, but the Clippers have been building smartly with the aforementioned youngsters and still have Elton Brand. They could see the playoffs yet this season.

Advantage: Draw
Both players are raw, but have promise. If it's a lottery pick, score this a win for the Hornets. If not, keep it a draw because Blunt has more upside than Rosen.

Sacramento Kings receive
SF Josh Childress
New Orleans Hornets 2013 2nd round pick

New Orleans Hornets receive
PF Elliot Carter
C Chris Mihm
PF Nick Collison (released and re-signed by the Kings the day after)

What this means for the Kings
Childress has never been much in this league, but Ron Artest has a broken arm and Sacramento, 22-23, sorely lacks bench depth, particularly at the guard spots. While not remarkable at anything, Childress can play 1-3 on the floor without looking like a total buffoon. The Hornets stink, so the 2nd rounder will be a good one.

What this means for the Hornets
Carter is 24, a second-year and former 2nd round draft pick who can play some defense, but that's it. He's even on the inactives. Mihm is a $3.3 million expiring deal that plays a little defense and rebounds a bit to improve the bench.

Advantage: Sacramento
The Kings gave up very little to gain a stopgap measure until Artest comes back from injury.

In former me-drafted Nuggets news, Andre Egans, who'd started 16 games for the Dakota Great Apes, got picked up by the Sacramento Kings and is presently the 14th man. Hey, it's another $700k in his pocket.

We play deliciously stingy defense against Golden State, winning our first February contest 89-65. Ben Gordon scored 26 and Emeka Okafor had 11 points and 17 rebounds. He's really proving a big part of our team since acquiring him.

Divisional double-header next, so I'm really hoping for a sweep. We take care of Utah 108-73 as Paulinho Buboltz kicks in 17 points and 10 assists and Duez Walker contributes 13 points off the bench, but Minnesota beats us 109-105 at the Target Center despite 18 points and 15 assists from Paulinho Buboltz. I really, really hate losing to the Timberwolves.

My mood takes another dive with a 96-89 loss to the Cavaliers as Lebron James torches us for 39 points. Can't blame Paulinho Buboltz (20 points, 11 assists) or Joakim Noah (13 bench points) for it though.

101 points are enough to win game one of a three game East Coast road trip by four points over the Nets. Paulinho Buboltz continues to be on fire with 23 points and 11 assists, Ben Gordon our lead scorer with 27 points. Mehmet Okur had a small flirtation with a triple-double, garnering 10 points, 14 rebounds and 7 assists.

Games Two and Three are back-to-back and we somehow lose to the Hawks 93-88 even though Dan Jacobson played well (10 points, 11 rebounds, 6 blocks) and Paulinho Buboltz stayed hot with 20 points and 10 assists. We rally the next night to beat the Bobcats 107-96 and head into the All-Star break on a positive note. Ben Gordon scores 27, Dan Jacobson adds 16 points and 10 rebounds and Joakim Noah scores 12 off the bench. Caron Butler starts at SG this game and leads Charlotte's starters with 20 points. He's averaging 3 points a game more in a Bobcats uniform than he did here in Denver, to which I say, good for him (especially since we won).

So it's the All-Star Break and time to decide whether or not to make a move. We're 33-20, our lead over the Timberwolves at 2 games. I could see us making a run for a natural SF or trading Joakim Noah for a better bench piece.

I do make a deal, a relatively small one in the grand scheme of things, but every little bit helps.

Denver Nuggets receive
PG Shaun Livingston

Houston Rockets receive
PG Sebastian Telfair
Denver Nuggets 2014 2nd round pick

What this means for the Nuggets
Livingston is a tall (6'7), extremely intelligent, disciplined pass-first PG with excellent passing and ballhandling skills and slightly above average defense. He's also the same age as the 5'11 Telfair and they're both on minimum salaries, both 9th men in their old and current teams' rotations. So why was Jestor willing to pay the extra 2nd round tax? Because this is exactly the type of PG he craves for his bench.

What this means for the Rockets
They already have a glut of guards, so changing one out for another makes no difference to Houston, particularly given how similiar Telfair and Livingston are in their skill sets. The extra 2nd round pick is a question mark depending on how the Nuggets do next season, but we're betting on the usual garbage late 2nd rounder. The best value from this may come from Telfair's popularity with fans.

Advantage: Denver
Both got a very small something from this, but the Nuggets got a guy that fits their front office's philosophy perfectly and it's widely known that GM Jestor considers 2nd round picks as nothing more than trade fodder.

I'm tempted to make another deal, but I'll sit and wait until after the All-Star festivities.

The Rookies-Sophs game doesn't interest me much this year because no Nuggets are going, although I watched anyway. The Rookies won 102-92, Darrell James the difference-maker and MVP with a game-high 24 points. I still don't think much of him, even though sports blogger R. McDonald raves that he's going to be the next big thing at PG.

I'm ecstatic when Ben Gordon makes the All-Star team and actually gets to play 22 minutes as a reserve. He scored 13 points with 2 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and two turnovers and looked great when he nailed 2 threes. Jonte Jones starting at C, secured the victory for the West and was MVP with 33 points, 7 rebounds, an assist and 4 blocks. We're starting to see a changing of the guard in the West as Kevin Durant was the starting SF, Kelvin Moody the starting PF again and Jones the starting C. The East is still dominated by the old guard, however, with only Greg Oden starting at C and Mateen Yeaton playing 2 minutes of scrub time as the East All-Stars who have been rookies since I joined the league.

I think about adding a new SF or another big man to the bench after the All-Star game, but eventually choose to stay pat other than the Livingston move. In my opinion we've got a pretty good balance of guys and can at least contend with any team in the league, even the Lakers and Raptors.

We thrash the Celtics 110-98 in our first game after the break, Paulinho Buboltz with 19 points and 13 rebounds and Shaun Livingston with 10 points, 6 assists and 0 turnovers off the bench in his Denver debut. Duez Walker added 10 points with the second team as well, in 11 minutes. I'm pleased to see he's been replaced as the first guard off the bench by Livingston. It makes me feel a lot better, both about the trade and about George Karl's coaching abilities.

102-96 loss to the Grizzlies dampens my enjoyment, although Emeka Okafor had 13 points and 10 rebounds, Dan Jacobson 10 points and 18 boards.

We overcome a horrible shooting night from everyone except Ben Gordon, who had 40 points, to edge the Hornets 111-105. I'm disappointed when Shaun Livingston only gets 6 minutes, but George Karl knows what he's doing, I guess. Then I find out after the game that Livingston has a hand injury. Whoops, guess Karl -does- know what he's doing.

The month ends with a 107-95 victory over the Hawks. Paulinho Buboltz treads water near a triple-double, but doesn't get it, settling for 20 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds a block and steal. Mehmet Okur and Emeka Okafor just missed out on double-doubles with 20 points, 9 rebounds and 12 points, 9 rebounds respectively. Al Thornton led the bench in scoring with 10 points.

36-21 is good enough to maintain our 2 game lead over the Timberwolves at month's end. The Mavericks and Rockets rule the West still with 44-11 and 42-15 respective records. The Lakers are 37-18 and the Trailblazers continue to fall just short of .500 at 27-28.

Shocking statistic: The Clippers went 0-12 this month. This made them go from 20-25 and a chance to turn the season around to a 20-37 record and a lost season.

In the East, it's still totally Toronto at 42-14. The Bobcats are still in 2nd at 37-17 and their current lineup is:

PG Adam Morrison
SG Caron Butler
SF Gerald Wallace
PF Sean May
C Channing Frye
6th Josh Smith

Still crazy, in my opinion.

The Pacers have fought their way back to within striking distance of .500 at 27-29 and are 6.5 games back in another Central dogfight between the Bucks in front (33-22) and the Pistons a game behind Milwaukee.

[cubboyroy1826]

How do you get the ratings to show up as 1-100 instead of 1-10?

[cubboyroy1826]

Nevermind i figured it out.

[Izulde]

Only way to play in my opinion. ;) Everyone looks too much the same with 1-10 ratings.

[Izulde]

"$12 million the first year, 10% increase for the 3 years after that."

I'm having lunch at my favorite Denver-area restaurant with Frank Weatherspoon, Paulinho Buboltz's agent. We've been going around and around the last few months about an extension and he keeps insisting on the same agreement.

"You want me to pay out that kind of money for a guy who missed almost half the season last year? One who hasn't made the All-Star team or isn't even close to All-NBA level?"

Frank grins at me over our pasta plates. We've both ordered the shrimp alfredo. I hate that grin. It means money's going out the door.

"Paulinho will be 22 years old and have 4 years pro experience under his belt when his rookie deal finishes. He's one of the most popular players in the league and, more importantly Brazil, where his jerseys are outselling Nene's 6 to 1. On top of that, he's one of the league's brightest young stars, with amazing potential. I put him on the market, you don't think at least 15-20 teams are going to come rushing in with max deals? Come on, you know better than that."

I shake my head as I take a bite of noodle and shrimp.

"He's averaging 16 points and 8.5 assists. Good numbers, sure, but worthy of the kind of cash you're talking about, even with the Brazilian market? I'm not so sure about that. You know how Crenshaw is."

Frank answers with another smile, the cheerfully oily kind.

"At least 20 teams. Hell, even the Pacers were willing to trade their hometown hero, the Hoosier of Power, Mr. Mateen Yeaton himself for Paulinho."

What the...

"How did you find out about that?"

"Simple. I weaseled it out of a front office employee. Don't worry, it was somebody from the Pacers organization."

I sit back in my chair, thinking it over. Buboltz does mean a lot to this team, both at the gate and in Brazil, where he's made the Nuggets the #1 team in the country. Interest in NBA basketball is booming down there with Nene and Buboltz both in the league and, much as I hate to admit it, Frank's right about the age vs. ability/potential thing.

"Why does he want so much anyway? Jacobson signed for half that and he's just as valuable to our on-court success as Buboltz is."

Frank shrugs.

"He knows his value and wants to make as much money back as possible so he can make a difference in his homeland. He hasn't decided yet whether to help save the rainforest or the poor."

We both chuckle over that. Odd that greed is the gateway to philanthrophy, but evidently it happens.

And of course, I should've known what was afoot when Paulinho signed Frank as his agent. Weatherspoon speaks Portugeuse, Spanish, French, Greek, Italian and Chinese all fluently and is the Scott Boras of basketball agents, specializing in international players due to his linguistic skills.

"That's admirable, but still, I don't know..."

"Do you want to be known as the GM who ran him out of Denver?"

"I'm the one who brought him into Denver!"

Frank laughs at my outraged answer and after a few moments, I join in.

"Look", he says after we've calmed down, "I have a lot of respect for you and what you've done here in this league. You've got some serious balls and you've come a long way from the time you passed on Durant and took Acie Law and Joakim Noah. That's why I'm even continuing to have these discussions with you. A lot of GMs, I'd say to hell with it and just wait for free agency to hit, because I can squeeze more money out that way."

"Thanks, but I still need to think about it."

"Sure. Also keep in mind that Paulinho really likes it in Denver and he wants to stay, but the money's the most important thing to him for what he wants to do in Brazil."

I nod and we set to our pasta in earnest. Afterwards, we're relaxing quietly over glasses of wine when he speaks again.

"So, tell me... If you were GM of the Knicks again right now, what would you do to rebuild the team?"

I love this game, this game of what-if. Frank does too and it makes our meals together a lot more enjoyable.

"Trade Carmelo and Ronny Smith."

"They'd crucify you!" Frank protests with a laugh.

"I did it before with Carmelo", I point out, "and Smith needs to go. I don't care how much talent he has or how popular he is, he simply hasn't even come close to realizing his potential and he's on a bad team, so he should have inflated scoring numbers."

The agent laughs again, shaking his head.

"I don't doubt for one moment that you'd do it, too. I remember I was floored when I read in the paper that you'd traded Carmelo away. But you know what? Sure Carmelo's been to 3 straight All-Star games in a Knicks uniform and he was an All-NBA player last year, but New York is still losing and losing bigtime. Meanwhile, you've completely remade the Nuggets roster inside of two years and you're winning without Carmelo and without Iverson. That's impressive."

"I had no qualms about trading Carmelo because I don't think he can carry a team and I believe that now even more strongly after seeing him in New York. Remember, with Carmelo and no AI, the Nuggets lost in the first round the year after they won the championship. With AI and no Carmelo, we made the Finals. That says a lot right there. In my opinion, Carmelo's Ben Gordon at double the price. Good player, even a great player, but not a dominant, team-saving player."

Frank agrees and we end dinner on that note. I'm still not sure whether to sign Buboltz to an extension or not. Frank quipped that knowing me, I'd probably do something like trade him to the Knicks for two 1st round draft picks, which would probably be lottery picks and some scrub of an expiring contract.

He's probably right. At the very least, if I decide not to extend Paulinho, I'm not going to let him go for nothing. I'll trade him and get the maximum amount I can out of him.

But enough about off-the-court concerns.

There was one other trade besides ours in February and it's an interesting one.

Dallas Mavericks receive
PF Mike Patterson

Toronto Raptors receive
PF Oleksiy Pecherov
PF Chris Wilcox

What this means for the Mavericks
Patterson, 26 and a fourth year, fell out of favor recently in Toronto after the Raptors initially viewed him as a possible someday starter. He's a jack-of-all-trades, master of none type who bolsters Dallas's bench as a 3-position player.

What this means for the Raptors
Wilcox gives the Raptors a significant upgrade on the second team, a defensive boost with a strong inside shot. He's not an ace defender by any means, but he's still a lot better than any of the other Toronto reserves. Pecherov is there simply to match salaries.

Advantage: Toronto
Patterson feels too much like a generic upgrade, whereas the 30 year old Wilcox shores up a specific need area for Toronto.

Speaking of the Pacers, we face them in March's first game and win 98-79 as Indiana shoots 33% and Ben Gordon dominates with 38 points. Shaun Livingston displays his value with an astounding 15 bench assists.

The Clippers crush us 110-96 on the road. Ben Gordon scores 30 and Dan Jacobson had 16 points and 15 rebounds, but our defense, particularly amongst the reserves, completely evaporated.

We rebound with a very satisfying 97-87 win over the Trailblazers, Ben Gordon again the game's top player with 32 points.

A nice stretch of days off before a doubleheader that's a split. The Spurs beat us 100-93 in San Antonio, Ben Gordon having another 30+ game with 31 points. Paulinho Buboltz gets 15 points and 10 assists , Dan Jacobson 10 points and 12 rebounds. So damned close and yet just short. 31 points again for Ben Gordon in the laugher over Phoenix, Paulinho Buboltz his second with 17 points and 11 assists.

I want to tear my hair out when Caron Butler hits the buzzer-beater to give Charlotte the 102-100 victory over us, at home no less. Another 30 points from Ben Gordon and he -just- missed a triple double with 9 rebounds and 9 assists to go with those points. Emeka Okafor had 21 points and 10 rebounds.

The Clippers get the full brunt of our frustrations in a 114-88 massacre. Ben Gordon is the lead general with 42 points, Emeka Okafor a stalwart with 11 points and 10 rebounds, Joakim Noah the sneaky sapper with 10 sub points.

Close game against the Bucks, but I'll take the 120-115 victory. Ben Gordon shows no signs of slowing down with 31 points. Dan Jacobson collects 16 points and 11 rebounds and Duez Walker plays the role of sniper off the bench with 17 points.

Glory, glory halleujah an actual winning streak. The Wizards fall 113-105 as Ben Gordon scores 33, Emeka Okafor 11s his way to 11 points, 11 boards and Duez Walker devastates Washington's reserves for 18 points. Nice late 1st round find he's turning into, at least for this year.

The win streak and Ben Gordon's 30+ point streak both end in a 102-87 home loss to the Lakers. I want to bash Kobe Bryant's clown-face in. Paulinho Buboltz doubles with 15 points and 13 assists, Mehmet Okur with 16 points and 12 rebounds and Duez Walker adds 16 points off the bench.

We shut down Darrell James and beat the Kings 110-104 as 3 Nuggets scored 20 points or more: Mehmet Okur (25), Ben Gordon (20), and Paulinho Buboltz (20 points, 13 assists). Duez Walker contributed 10 points to lead the second unit.

The Suns have really declined from what they once were. What even a couple years ago would've been a probable loss is now generally regarded as a win and win we do, 107-92. Paulinho Buboltz erupts for 27 points and Mehmet Okur plays strong for 17 points and 12 rebounds.

A shootout breaks out in Salt Lake City. Deron Williams scores 45, but Ben Gordon counters him with 47 points. Dan Jacobson was everywhere on the court with 11 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists and 5 blocks and Paulinho Buboltz had 18 points and 13 assists as we prevail in a 128-124 thriller.

San Antonio and Portland are never a fun doubleheader. The Spurs edge us 107-102 despite Paulinho Buboltz's great game of 29 points, 10 assists and 6 rebounds, Emeka Okafor's 10 points and 12 rebounds and 10 points a piece from reserves Leroy Wright and Joakim Noah. We rebound with a 92-89 road victory over the Traiblazers to salvage the split and end March positively. Dan Jacobson has 21 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists, 6 blocks and a steal to again be everywhere and Emeka Okafor and Paulinho Buboltz each doubled with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 15 points, 12 assists respectively.

As topsy-turvy as our month was, the Timberwolves slumped some and so our 46-26 record gives us a five and a half game advantage and we're looking in very good shape to take yet another division title.

I'll comment more on the situation of the rest of the league later. I have a giant headache when I see who our 1st round opponent would be if the playoffs were held today.

[Izulde]

The final ten commence with an away doubleheader of Memphis and New Orleans. We beat the Grizzlies 104-94 as Paulinho Buboltz ratchets up 23 points and 11 assists and Dan Jacobson is nicely effective with 14 points and 18 rebounds. Unfortunately, we piss away the game against the Hornets and lose by a nauseating single point, 105-104 as they get hot in the fourth quarter. Dan Jacobson played well with 16 points, 13 rebounds, 4 steals and 4 blocks before fouling out and Joakim Noah scored 14 from the bench.

Key road game versus Minnesota and a home game Seattle comprise the next back-to-back. The T-Wolves go down 99-88 as Paulinho Buboltz puts up 26 points and 13 assists and Dan Jacobson pulls off a fourth straight double-double with 13 points and 18 rebounds, though I should note Minnesota is without Kelvin Moody, who broke his finger last month. The Supersonics don't fare any better against us in the easy 117-104 victory. Ben Gordon scores 33, Paulinho Buboltz has 13 points and 17 assists, Dan Jacobson makes it five double-doubles in a row with 26 points and 11 rebounds and Joakim Noah contributes 12 bench points.

Dan Jacobson's double-double streak ends with 8 points and 16 rebounds, but we beat Golden State 97-87 as Ben Gordon scores 26 to lead both teams and Al Thornton and Tiago Splitter have 10 and 13 points respectively to lead the reserves.

Another game against the Hornets and this time, there's no let-up as we stomp them by 32 points, 122-90. Ben Gordon scores 42, Paulinho Buboltz gets 14 points and 18 assists and Duez Walker has a career-high 21 points off the bench.

I received an e-mail from one of the NBA brass after the game, notifying me that there'd been a mix-up and Duez Walker was supposed to play in the Rookies-Sophs game as a reserve for the Rookies. He apologized for any inconvenience the miscommunication may have caused and that Walker's career portfolio would be credited with the appearance. Yeah, thanks for telling me that now. Oh well, I'll still take it.

Grizzlies-Rockets the next back-to-back. Memphis stuns us 100-96 at home, even though we get 28 points from Ben Gordon, 15 points and 10 assists from Paulinho Buboltz and 10 reserve points from Joakim Noah. And yet we beat Houston 115-107 on the road as Ben Gordon scores 38 and Dan Jacobson has 14 points and 16 rebounds. Good sign for our hopeful run to the Western Conference finals.

Double-P for the final two games, a doubleheader of Phoenix and Portland. Double delightment in the wins, too. The Suns fall 110-101, Ben Gordon the darkness-bringer with 28 points and Dan Jacobson with 10 points and 13 rebounds. We cheerfully dispatch the Trailblazers 97-86 to end the year as Ben Gordon scores 30 and Paulinho Buboltz polishes off the regular season with 16 points and 11 assists. The reason Portland hasn't been able to win despite their great starting 5 is their shoddy bench and it's highlighted this game, as the Trailblazer reserves score 9 points total. Hell, Duez Walker had 8 points just by himself!

We finish the regular season 54-28 and win the division easily.

Western Conference Top 8 Records
1. Dallas Mavericks (64-17)
2. Los Angeles Lakers (60-22)
3. Houston Rockets (57-25)
4. San Antonio Spurs (55-27)
5. Denver Nuggets (54-28)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (45-37)
7. Sacramento Kings (40-42)
8. Memphis Grizzlies (40-42)

....I now have a migraine and it hurts. Yes, we'll have the homecourt advantage as the division champions, but we haven't beaten the Spurs once this season. They were the one team I did not under any circumstances to draw at any point in the playoffs and we get them in the first round.

Eastern Conference Top 8 Records
1. Toronto Raptors (61-21)
2. Charlotte Bobcats (55-27)
3. Boston Celtics (53-29)
4. Milwaukee Bucks (46-36)
5. Detroit Pistons (46-36)
6. Indiana Pacers (43-39)
7. Atlanta Hawks (42-40)
8. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42)

I'm happy to see the Pacers rebound and make the playoffs as a respectable seed and even more gleeful to see the Knicks finish with the NBA's worst record at 17-65, helping to alleviate the pain in my temples a bit.

Lebron James ends the one-year drought of no 30+ players with an average of 31.9 points. Too bad the Cavaliers suck so bad. Gilbert Arenas was second with 28.1 and our Ben Gordon took third at 26.6 points a game.

Dwayne Wade and T.J. Ford led in assists per game at 10.9 and 10.8 respectively, with Baron Davis just off the double-digit pace at 9.8. Paulinho Buboltz finished 8th with 8.9, just behind fellow 2010 draftee Brandon Brooks, who had 9 even.

Terrible year for rebounding when 13 boards a game is enough to win, but that's what Greg Oden did. On the other hand, a good number of rebounders over 12 boards a game, led by David Lee in 2nd with 12.6. Dan Jacobson was 20th, averaging 9.5 rebounds a game.

Andrei Kirilenko ran away with the blocks title again at 3.7 a game. 2nd place went to Elton Brand with 2.7. Emeka Okafor was 12th with 2.3, a pleasant surprise.

Gerald Wallace was the lone player with more than 2 steals average a game at 2.2. Tracy McGrady, Andre Iguodala and Ron Artest tied for 2nd with 1.8. Paulinho Buboltz tied with a bunch of others in the mid-teens with 1.5.

I said the Knicks made the right choice in taking Jeremy Leach when he fell to them at #3 and they did, as he blew away the rest of the class in averaging 17 points a game. Austin Buller was second with 12 even and all told, 7 rookies hit the double-digit points mark, the others being Bill Towns (11.4), Charles Garren (11.3), Darrell James (11), Demarcus Baptist (10.6) and Jeff Culuko (10.3). Duez Walker finished off the Top 10, averaging 6.7 points.

Darrell James took assists with ease with 6.6. Calvis Graham was a distant second at 3.5 and Duez Walker was 7th with 2.1. Demarcus Baptist was the top rebounder with 9.3 boards, Austin Buller 2nd at 8.2. Duez Walker rounded out the Top 10 again with 2.1.

Marvin Stapleton led in blocks with 1.5, followed by Doug Newman with one even. Duez Walker got another 7th in class with 0.5 rejections a game. Darrell James, Calvin Graham and Bill Towns were the best ballthieves with 1.3, 1.2 and 1.1 respectively. Duez Walker took 8th with 0.8.

Walker really has turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of the season and I'm glad I made the move to trade up one spot to get him. The former Golden Domer (of the basketball variety naturally), has been an invaluable part of our bench as a rookie.

If only we didn't have to throw him up against the Spurs. I'm not looking forward to this matchup at all.

[Izulde]

I still have a headache a few days later before our first game, but let's see what our usual preview article has to say.

"Last year, Denver went the limit in taking out the Dallas Mavericks because they had no one to match up against Jonte Jones. This year, they draw the Spurs, who they lost every single game to in the regular season, usually by five points or less. The games should be close again.

Point Guard
Paulinho Buboltz vs. Zelipe Gama
Buboltz may only be 20 years old and 5'11, but he plays much older and bigger. For the first time in his three-year career, he started all 82 games and had a career year of 16.3 points, 8.9 assists, 1.5 steals, even half a block a game. He's capable of breaking out for 20 points a game or 15 and 10 on any given night, though he's a better shooter than passer.

Gama, a 21 year old fourth-year from Spain, originally taken at 1.14 by Seattle in 2009, became the full-time starter for the first time in his career this season and was extremely effective, averaging 11.8 points, 7.9 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals. Not a great scorer by any means, but a pass-first PG whose 6'4 height makes his matchup with Buboltz more equal than it seems at first glance.

Advantage: Denver

Shooting Guard
Ben Gordon vs. Joe Johnson
Gordon finished 3rd in scoring averaging with 26.6 points a game and showed a lot more 40+ nights than we've seen from him than any other year in his career. He plays good defense for a shooter and was voted as an All-Star starter this year, but played limited minutes due to a wrist injury. The big question with Gordon: Can he finally become an Allen Iverson? Denver's title hopes rest on that question.

Johnson averaged 22.6 points a game and is a dynamite passer for a SG, so good he could easily be the starting PG for the Spurs. More importantly for San Antonio's plans, he plays extremely good defense, which will be important as he tries to shut Gordon down. He also has 5 inches on the Nuggets superstar, 6'7 to 6'2, which plays to San Antonio's advantage.

Advantage: Draw

Small Forward
Mehmet Okur vs. Shawne Williams/Julian Wright
The 33 year old Okur showed signs of a lost step this season, but still averaged 12.3 points and 6.4 rebounds. Very good all-around shooter with nice scoring instincts and his 6'11, 249 lbs frame gives Denver a big body to create matchup problems at SF.

Wright, a very good, balanced young SF with nice defense who averaged 12.2 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.2 blocks and a steal per game is normally the starter, but a strained abdominal muscle makes Williams the temporary starter. Although Williams averaged 10 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as the Spurs first big man off the bench, the free-agent signee from the Pacers is a definitive downgrade from Wright and the advantage turns into a detriment for San Antonio.

Advantage: Denver

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Tim Duncan
Okafor was an extremely shrewd pickup by GM Jestor early in the season, giving the Nuggets some more great defense, rebounding and shotblocking inside. Emeka can even score a little and he finished with 11.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and a steal a game in the regular season.

Duncan may be 36 years old and have diminished quite a bit in his skills, but he's still 7', 260 lbs and averaged 13.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in the regular season. His defense is as good as Okafor's and his size advantage over the Denver PF is huge, which will greatly limit Emeka's effectiveness.

Advantage: San Antonio

Center
Dan Jacobson vs. Hilton Armstrong
Jacobson was Denver's greatest offseason acquistion, finally giving the Nuggets an excellent young C. 7'3, 290 lbs, Jacobson is a fine rebounder, an excellent defender and shotblocker and a steadily developing scoring touch, averaging 11.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks a game in the regular season. The X-factor: He was terrible in his rookie season in the playoffs, averaging just 2.5 points a game in 4 starts. He'll have to shake off those bad memories if the Nuggets want to advance.

Armstrong is one of the more underrated centers in the league. He averaged 10.9 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in the regular season, yet virtually nobody considers him even in the upper half of centers in the league. At 6'11, 235 lbs, he gives up a ton to Jacobson, so he'll need to rely on Duncan for help defense in containing Denver's monstrous young beast.

Advantage: Denver

Bench
Joakim Noah is Denver's 6th man, but he's really there primarily for his great defense. Duez Walker, a rookie, is the first guard off the bench and has shown signs of explosive scoring touch, a real points-generator and offensive sparkplug at times. The Nuggets poured a lot of money into Al Thornton in free agency, but he's been a major disappointment. Shaun Livingston was a nice, quiet move at the All-Star break to give Denver a passer off the bench.

Julian Wright is a terrific man to have as a reserve, abominal pain or not, but the real story here is Chauncey Billups, who averaged 11.1 points and 5.1 assists off the bench and who last year at this time was playing for Denver. His knowledge of the Nuggets scheme and his incredible productivity are big reasons why San Antonio won all the regular season games.

Advantage: San Antonio

Final Thoughts
This is a big, big series for George Karl. Word out of the Denver organization is that if Karl doesn't deliver a first round victory, even against the Spurs, he's gone. San Antonio is the worst possible draw for Denver, as they have the big guards to shut down the Nuggets and Duncan to help compensate for Armstrong's lightweightness inside. The fact that San Antonio won all the regular season games and the do-or-die factor behind Karl will give the Nuggets a desire to win, but the Spurs are just too well-built to match up against Denver.
Prediction: San Antonio in 6"

Gee, thanks a lot guys. Thanks a lot too, for the NBA, for screwing me over on the All-Star game once again.

Oh well, nothing to do now but to go out and play the games.

Game One
36.1% vs 39.7% shooting. Can you say defensive scrum? It says something that Hilton Armstrong was Player of the Game with 15 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks and a steal and Tim Duncan's 14 points and 11 rebounds were the other big highlight. Our lone noteworthy performance: Duez Walker with 10 reserve points. This series has started ugly in a bad way.
Denver 70 San Antonio 80

Game Two
50% to 53.8% shooting, a complete reversal of Game One. A reversal in the outcome too, as Paulinho Buboltz is on fire with a breathtaking 31 points and 13 assists, Emeka Okafor gets 21 points and 14 rebounds and Duez Walker stays hot with 11 bench points. Joe Johnson played great for San Antonio with 37 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks and Zelipe Gama had 17 points and 11 assists, the 17 points of which were matched by Chauncey Billups off the bench, but we go to Denver with a critical series split. More importantly, we've just proven we can beat the Spurs and on their own turf.
Denver 121 San Antonio 113

Game Three
An absolutely sensational game to watch, an OT thriller with nice balance on both sides. In a reversal of fortune from previous years, our three big men were the stars for the home team: Dan Jacobson with 18 points and 11 rebounds, Emeka Okafor with 12 points and 15 rebounds and Mehmet Okur with 15 points and 14 rebounds. The Spurs countered with 13 points and 11 rebounds from Tim Duncan, the game's lone 20+ point scorer in Shawne Williams (21 points) and 15 bench points from Chauncey Billups, but it wasn't enough to keep us from seizing the series lead! Hilton Armstrong had an incredible 28 rebounds in the most impressive statistic.
San Antonio 91 Denver 94 (OT)

Game Four
It's not an understatement to say the balance of the entire series hangs on this game and perhaps it's only fitting that for the first time this series, Ben Gordon breaks out and scores 27 points to go with Dan Jacobson's 16 points and 11 rebounds and Mehmet Okur's 14 points and 15 rebounds. San Antonio's biggest answer was Joe Johnson with 20 points and we frankly won this one far more easily than the final score suggests. We're in the driver's seat at a 3-1 advantage and I couldn't be more thrilled.
San Antonio 88 Denver 95

Houston swept the Kelvin Moody-less Timberwolves as expected, but they're the only sweep in town. A couple other 3-1 series, with all the rest knotted up at 2 a piece.

Game Five
Back in San Antonio and I'd frankly like to end this series now, to avoid giving the Spurs any momentum back. But they aren't going to down quietly, as Joe Johnson scores 25 and Shawn Williams scores 20. We counter with 24 points from Ben Gordon, 22 points from Paulinho Buboltz and 14 points and 11 rebounds from Mehmet Okur. Unfortunately their bench outscores ours 19-7 and that's the difference-maker.
Denver 82 San Antonio 93

Boston took out Mateen Yeaton's Pacers in five games. Everyone else moves on to Game Six.

Game Six
If we don't win here at home, we honestly don't deserve to win the series and George Karl wins a trip to coach somewhere else next year, even with Julian Wright back in the starting lineup. Karl knows it and from what I heard later, he gave his most inspiring, most passionate pre-game speech ever in the locker room, even better than in that famous series against the Rockets a few years ago. We come out fired up, Emeka Okafor in particular, who finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds and 4 blocks. Ben Gordon scored 26, Mehmet Okur continued his great series with 17 points and 11 rebounds and Paulinho Buboltz got two 13s in 13 points and 13 assists. We were absolutely merciless and the best the Spurs could do in response was 14 bench points from Chauncey Billups.
San Antonio 88 Denver 111

Damn does it ever feel good to crush the Spurs so emphatically to close out the series.

A lot of series ended in 6 games. Toronto beat Philadelphia, Detroit upended Milwaukee, Dallas beat Memphis and the Lakers finished off the Kings. Only Charlotte/Atlanta goes the distance and the Bobcats' bizzare lineup finally falls, 88-78 in Game 7 as the Hawks pull off the lone big upset of the first round.

Third straight year in the playoffs for me with Denver, third straight year we're playing Dallas during the postseason. I like our chances.

[Izulde]

I look at Dallas's 64-18 regular season record and I see a paper tiger. We swept them two years ago and beat them in seven games last year and we're a hell of a lot better than we were last season and the Mavericks aren't.

Preview:

"For the third straight season, the Nuggets and the Mavericks are meeting in the playoffs. Two years ago, it was a Denver sweep. Last season, a full-tilt contest that ran the full seven before the Nuggets prevailed again. Is this the year Dallas finally turns the tables?

Not so fast.

The hourglass is running out for Jason Terry and Dirk Nowitzki, who are 35 and 34 respectively. Terry signed a one-year deal to stay in Dallas, spurning lucrative offers to gear up for one more run. There's a growing feeling within the Mavericks organization that if they don't get it done this year or next, the window of opportunity will have run out for these two high-quality veterans.

On the other side, George Karl is still coaching for another contract extension as GM Jestor remained non-commital even after the opening round victory over the Spurs and Al Thornton must start producing if he doesn't want to be traded in the offseason.

Point Guard
Paulinho Buboltz vs. Jason Terry
Buboltz showed during the opening round that it doesn't matter what height his opposing man is, he'll still play like he's the biggest point guard on the court. Paulinho averaged 18.2 points, 2nd on the team, with 9.2 assists and 1.5 steals against the Spurs and he has an excellent 4.2 A/TO ratio thus far in the playoffs. More importantly, he showed he can pick up the scoring slack when Ben Gordon is struggling.

Terry had his worst scoring season as a pro in the regular season with a 16.6 points per game average, but he rebounded in a big way against the Grizzlies, averaging 20.3 points, 8.8 assists and a steal with a 4.8 A/TO ratio. He may have regressed, but he's still an upper-echelon PG who has the defensive skills to try and contain Buboltz.

Advantage: Draw

Shooting Guard
Ben Gordon vs. Josh Howard
It took Gordon a few games to come untracked against the Spurs, but when he finally did, he did so brilliantly enough to emerge with a team-high 20.5 point per game average. He's not Allen Iverson, but on this team he doesn't have to be.

Howard is what he is: an underachiever who still manages to make his presence felt on the court. He's another 6'7 SG for Gordon to go up against, but on the bright side, he's not quite as good a defender as Joe Johnson is and he's not half the shooter of the Spurs guard. He's averaging 12.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists after the first round.

Advantage: Denver

Small Forward
Mehmet Okur vs. Dirk Nowitzki
Okur was the biggest surprise of the opening round and one of the main reasons why the Nuggets are here in the second round. After some initial struggles playing the SF position he's adapted well and really took it to the Spurs in the first round, averaging 13.5 points and 11.2 rebounds. Don't look for him to have the same kind of success against the Mavericks, though.

That's not to say Nowitzki will totally shut Okur down. The 7', 245 lb. 34 year old is now widely considered a mediocre defender and nowhere near as good a rebounder as he used to be. That said, Nowitzki is still one of the best shooters and scorers in the league and he averaged 19.5 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks against Memphis.

Advantage: Dallas

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Daniel Wilder
Was Okafor the reason for the Bobcats' stunning successes year in and year out in the playoffs? Hard to say for sure, but the Bobcats were upset by the Hawks in the first round, while Okafor played terrifically in averaging 11.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.8 blocks against San Antonio. More significantly, he frustrated Tim Duncan all series long, despite giving up a lot of height and weight to the long-time Spur.

Wilder is certainly no Duncan, not even a 36-year old Duncan. The 22 year old fourth-year is a largely mediocre player with horrendous free-throw shooting and rebounding that isn't quite as good as it should be. He was last and least of the Mavericks starters against the Grizzlies, averaging just 3.5 points with 4.2 rebounds. Yes, a large part of it was having to go against Pau Gasol, but Okafor isn't going to be any easier a matchup and all signs point to another long, rough series for the Dallas PF.

Advantage: Denver

Center
Dan Jacobson vs. Jonte Jones
"It's tough. It's tough to go in there and have to be the guy as a rookie, even your second or third year in the league when you're not used to the playoff atmosphere. Night in and night out against the best of the NBA, it's just real tough." No, that wasn't Jacobson, but Jones earlier this week in discussing what it's like to be the hotshot young center on a team with title hopes. Such would explain why Jacobson didn't dominate as expected in the first round, although he did average 11.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks to largely exorcise the demons of his 2.5 point performance as a Wizards rookie. He plays great defense and is a textbook rebounder and his 7'3, 290 lb body is going to be a huge obstacle for Jones to work around.

Jones has gradually emerged as one of the NBA's top centers of any age and he had a major coming-out party against Memphis with 25.2 points, 16 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. As good as Jacobson is at rebounding, Jones just happens to be the best in the league, even better than a certain Mr. Greg Oden. He's also a better than average, but not great defender, with good shot-blocking and stealing technique. He's also one of the best in the game at drawing fouls, which spells trouble for the Nuggets, who simply don't have a viable center option outside of Jacobson.

Advantage: Dallas

Bench
Rookie Duez Walker averaged a good 7.5 points off the bench against San Antonio, but the rest of the second unit was largely unimpressive.

Jeff Green averaged 8.7 points versus Memphis with 5.7 rebounds and Devin Harris showed good ball skills in averaging 5.5 points and 5.7 assists. Mike Patterson averaged 5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 15 minutes a game.

Advantage: Dallas

Final Thoughts
Jones has escalated himself to superstar level and we're talking Andrew Bynum kind of superstardom for a center. If he can get Jacobson into foul trouble, this series gets a lot more even, which otherwise favors the Nuggets' offensive balance and excellent defenders. It's going to be a close one and we predict this is finally the year Dallas gets the mile-high monkey off its back.
Prediction: Mavericks in 7"

Well, that's a little surprising, but they're right in that Jones really has reached that elite level and can make this a long series for us. I still have faith we can pull it out, though.

Game One
Hello rude awakening. Joakim Noah and Leroy Wright get 10 points off the bench, but Dallas played like they were the defensive team, not us. Jonte Jones ripped us apart for 25 points and 11 rebounds, Josh Howard channeled Ben Gordon in scoring 29 points and Jeff Green led the bench with 11 points in the slaughter.
Denver 93 Dallas 110

Game Two
Ben Gordon scores 40, Joakim Noah and Leroy Wright have 10 points and a double-double of 12 points, 10 rebounds off the bench respectively, but that's it. Is it enough? Dirk Nowitzki scores 28, Daniel Wilder has 13 points and 10 rebounds, Jonte Jones 28 points and 6 steals and Devin Harris 12 bench points. No it's not enough and things are suddenly looking very bad for us.
Denver 117 Dallas 128

Game Three
We're done. That's all I can say after this god damned frustrating as fuck 3-point loss when we fucking melt down and blow a lead to be outscored 29-20 at home. Who cares about Ben Gordon's 29 points, Emeka Okafor's 18 points and 12 rebounds and Duez Walker's 12 reserve points? Dirk Nowitzki scores 26 and Mike Patterson had 10 bench points. We had no fucking business losing this game, absolutely none at all. I'll fire George Karl's ass if we get swept.
Dallas 99 Denver 96

Game Four
Pathetic. Fucking pathetic. Joakim Noah our best guy with 11 bench points.Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry and Jonte Jones combine for 24 points, 23 points and 23 points and 22 rebounds. Karl's ass is out of here.
Dallas 106 Denver 98

There's no way in hell we should've been swept by the Mavericks. I'm firing the whole god-damned staff tomorrow.

[Izulde]

I spend the week after our sweeping defeat to Dallas in Turkey.

There I re-visit again famous Troy and Pergamum, that famous mountain city I dreamt of long before I ever saw it on a tour the fall semester I spent in Spain. I bathe in the hot springs of Pamukkale and bruise my feet walking the rocky, beautiful white terraces of the same region to take in the majestic views.

I relax, but only a little, for I'm heavy-hearted and full-minded.

I don't know where to go from here. Karl's been a great coach, but is he really the one to lead us to a title? If we keep him, what about the rest of his staff? Do we need a legitimate franchise player to win a championship? If we do, do we have the pieces needed to get one?

Turkey, bastion of the classical West, with its many ancient Greek sites, and glittering jewel of the Ottoman Empire, brings me no answers, no solutions, but it's nice to get away, even as I'm ironically contemplating trading away our not-so-young Turk.

When I return to the States, I find out the Lakers beat the Rockets in 6, the Raptors beat the Pistons in 5 and Atlanta/Boston went the full seven games before the Celtics finally prevailed.

Over the next several days, I watch in amazement as the Mavericks take a commanding 3-0 series lead on the Lakers, only have to Los Angeles come right back to force a Game 7, rather remnisicient of our own Finals run a few years ago. Toronto/Boston goes to seven as well.

In the end, nothing can keep the Raptors from repeating as East Conference Champions and as for Dallas/Lakers, the Mavericks pull it off, downing the defending champions 121-109, Dirk Nowitzki scoring 34 points, Jonte Jones with 28 points and 10 rebounds. I wonder if maybe I haven't underestimated this Mavericks team.

The Finals promises to be interesting. I quickly compare the teams.

Point Guard
T.J. Ford vs Jason Terry
Ford has developed into a textbook pass-first PG and is averaging 13.7 points and 11.4 assists in the playoffs. That said, he's nothing special on defense.

Terry's been playing like a man who knows this might be his last chance at a title and is averaging 16 points and 8.2 assists. A better defender than Ford, but with little stealing instincts.

Advantage: Dallas

Shooting Guard
Larry Hughes vs. Josh Howard
Hughes is a big part of why the Raptors have two straight Finals appearances. An underrated scorer and a terrific defender, he's averaging 17.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals in the postseason.

Howard continues to underachieve, but he still has 13.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 steals in the postseason to show for it. That said, he's liable to have a difficult time against Hughes.

Advantage: Toronto

Small Forward
Andrea Bargnani vs. Dirk Nowitzki
17.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks is all you need to know to illustrate that Bargnani is still playing well as the Third Musketeer at SF.

Who cares if Nowitzki's only averaging 5.2 rebounds in the playoffs? His 22.7 points is more than making up for it, just as his size is making up for his defensive deficiencies in a big way.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Chris Bosh vs. Daniel Wilder
Bosh has postseason averages of 20.3 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks and is the leading scorer of the Three Musketeers. He's one of the most gifted, most well-rounded players in the league.

That Wilder's starting and this team is in the Finals is still surprising. 5.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in the playoffs and with absolutely no special skills.

Advantage: Toronto

Center
Jonte Jones vs. Greg Oden
This is the marquee matchup and Jones has looked like the best C since Shaquille O'Neal in this postseason: 23.8 points, 13.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.7 blocks. Forget the talk about Jones being one of the best centers in the league someday. He's -the- best C in the league right now at 22 years old, in just his third season of the league. He's the LeBron James of centers.

Oden's 14.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in the playoffs don't look so great compared to Jones and let's be honest here, Oden's MVP Award last season was an absolute joke. That said, if there's anybody, anybody at all in this league who can shut J-Flash down, it's Oden, the best defensive center in the game.

Advantage: Draw

Bench
Quincy Douby and Chris Wilcox are solid all-arounders, but there's not much here for the Raptors.

Devin Harris looks a lot more like the player he once showed the promise of being in this playoffs, averaging 7.9 points and 5.6 assists in the playoffs. Jeff Green is averaging 8.1 points and 4.9 rebounds off the bench and Mike Patterson is eager to prove Toronto wrong for trading him earlier in the season.

Advantage: Dallas

Final Thoughts
This is going to be a very, very close series. But Toronto has been here before and the feeling is that this is the Raptors' year.
Prediction: Toronto in 7

Game One
Chris Bosh scores 28 and Greg Oden has 16 points and 20 rebounds, but Dirk Nowitzki doubles with 19 points and 11 rebounds , Josh Howard and Jason Terry have 23 and 20 points respectively and Mike Patterson shows he's a man on a mission with 16 bench points. The worst part about this game for Toronto? Jonte Jones was 0/5 and limited to 20 minutes because of foul trouble, finishing with just 2 points.
Toronto 93 Dallas 100

Game Two
Greg Oden makes sure this series isn't going to be a sweep with 23 points and 22 rebounds and Chris Bosh affirms it with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki doubles with 17 points and 12 rebounds, Jason Terry scores 28 and Jonte Jones rebounds nicely with 23 points, but it isn't enough in this thriller.
Toronto 105 Dallas 103

Game Three
The series shifts to Toronto and for the first time, the game's not even close. Jonte Jones has 23 points and 10 rebounds and Jeff Green and Mike Patterson contribute 12 and 11 points off the bench for Dallas, but it's not enough as the Raptors counter with a balanced effort. Greg Oden gets 16 points and 11 rebounds, Chris Bosh scores 22, T.J. Ford doubles with 16 points and 19 assists and Chris Wilcox chimes in with 16 points with the reserves to make this a laugher.
Dallas 87 Toronto 112

Game Four
And we've an even series as Dirk Nowitzki explodes for 39 points, Jonte Jones garners 14 points and 10 rebounds and Mike Patterson and Jeff Green have 15 and 11 bench points respectively. Chris Bosh kept his 20+ point per game streak alive with 21 points, but Toronto just couldn't get it done.
Dallas 114 Toronto 102

Game Five
Another close game in the pivotal contest and Jonte Jones plays big with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Jason Terry scores 20 as well. Chris Bosh, on the other hand, is a dreadful 4/15 and sees his 20 point streak come to an end with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Greg Oden had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Chris Wilcox 12 bench points, but Dallas steals the critical 3-2 advantage.
Dallas 103 Toronto 98

Game Six
Chris Bosh was furious with himself over his Game 5 performance and charges back with 25 points and 10 rebounds, Greg Oden teams with him for 13 points and 14 rebounds, T.J. Ford is in it with 11 points and 14 assists and Chris Wilcox and Quincy Douby provide the support with 16 and 11 points a piece from the bench. Dallas can only offer 22 and 11 respective bench points from Mike Patterson and Salim Stoudamire, as Jonte Jones played just 8 minutes before being taken out with a shoulder injury. Good news for Mavericks fans, as he'll be back for Game 7.
Toronto 111 Dallas 93

Game Seven
Can it get any better than this? Dallas is on the ropes and fights back in the fourth quarter to force OT. We had some absolutely inspired performances this game. For Toronto: Chris Bosh - 36 points, 11 rebounds, Greg Oden - 21 points, 25 rebounds, 5 blocks, Larry Hughes - 23 points, T.J. Ford - 13 points, 12 assists. For Dallas: Jonte Jones - 24 points, 11 rebounds, Jason Terry 19 points, 10 assists and Mike Patterson - 20 bench points. But in the end, the Mavericks couldn't get done in overtime, as Dirk Nowitzki had a dreadful 3-for-17 day on the most important night of his entire career. The Raptors finally bring home their long-deserved NBA championship trophy.
Toronto 115 Dallas 108 (OT)

[Izulde]

A review of the coaches likely to be available this offseason settles it.

George Karl will not be coaching the Nuggets next season.

We have too many good, young players to entrust their development to someone better suited to a veteran team.

But the time for coach hiring will come.

NBA Lottery
1. Washington Wizards (+2)
2. New York Knicks (-1)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (+1)
4. New Orleans Hornets (-2)
5. New Orleans Hornets
6. Chicago Bulls
7. Miami Heat
8. New Jersey Nets
9. Golden State Warriors
10. Seattle Supersonics
11. Orlando Magic
12. Utah Jazz
13. Portland Trailblazers
14. Phoenix Suns

That was the lowest amount of ripple I've ever seen as an NBA GM. Hard luck for the Hornets, who held the pieces to have a top 3 and a top 5 pick and instead they're forced to settle for two Top 5 selections. Good problem to have though and I forget just who they fleeced to get that deal.

NBA Awards

Major Awards
MVP
Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers - 20.4 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.2 bpg, 0.8 spg
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - 13.0 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.4 apg, 3.7 bpg, 1.4 spg
Rookie of the Year
Demarcus Baptist - New Jersey Nets - 10.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.6 bpg, 0.7 spg
6th Man of the Year
Troy Murphy - Seattle Supersonics - 9.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.8 apg, 0.3 bpg, 0.8 spg
Coach of the Year
Rick Adelman - Houston Rockets

Yeah, okay I don't get Adelman winning Coach of the Year at all. Should've gone to Avery Johnson for what he did with the Mavericks.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
PF Elton Brand - L.A. Clippers
C Andrew Bynum - L.A. Lakers

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Mateen Yeaton - Indiana Pacers (Argh! Why didn't I trade for him?)
SF Kevin Durant - Portland Trailblazers
PF Pau Gasol - Memphis Grizzlies
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Mike Bibby - Houston Rockets
SG Ben Gordon - Denver Nuggets
SF Paul Pierce - Detroit Pistons
PF Al Jefferson - Boston Celtics
C Jonte Jones - Dallas Mavericks

About damned time I finally got an All-NBA player. Good to see it was one of my boys, too.

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Zelipe Gama - San Antonio Spurs
SG Tracy McGrady - Sacramento Kings
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF LaMarcus Aldridge - Portland Trailblazers
C Murray Alexander - Golden State Warriors

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Darrell James - Sacramento Kings
SG Duez Walker - Denver Nuggets
SF Charles Garren - Washington Wizards
PF Bill Towns - L.A. Clippers
C Demarcus Baptist - New Jersey Nets

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Calvis Graham - Golden State Warriors
SG Andre Quarles - Seattle Supersonics
SF Jon Wilson - Miami Heat
PF Sean Pryce - Cleveland Cavaliers
C Austin Buller - Chicago Bulls

Nice to see Walker make the 1st team, which I didn't expect.

Utah Sixers

PG Brandon Brooks - Portland Trailblazers
11.6 points and 9 assists a game. Although Brooks, now 27, doesn't look like an elite PG, he looks like a very good one, good enough that I'm very strongly tempted to try and trade for him. The cost would be quite high, I'm sure, but I think it'd be worth it. An excellent ball PG with some great defensive skills. Not really a ballthief, however.

PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
Numbers declined considerably and for the first time in three years, he's not an All-NBA 2nd Team member, but he only played 60 games due to a broken finger. Still managed to average 17.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.4 blocks and 0.9 steals. 24 years old, he's one of the best young players in the NBA.

SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat
It's a good thing he got that fat deal to re-sign with Miami last offseason, because he averaged just 10.3 minutes and his numbers were hideous: 2.5 points, 1.9 rebounds and it only gets worse from there. Played 80 games, started none. A topnotch defender, but that's about it and definitely not worth the money they're paying him.

C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks
Had his greatest season yet, averaging 9.1 points and 6.5 rebounds, both career highs as he started 80 games after stealing the starting C job from Shaq. He's still got maddening potential, but at 25, how much time does he have left to fill it? One of the most curious players in the league, that's for sure.

PF B.J. Whitehead - Houston Rockets
Played 76 games and averaged 19.1 minutes en route to 5.8 points and 4.7 rebounds. Decent all-around player. Not somebody you'd want starting or even as your 6th man necessarily, but a respectable depth guy to have around.

SF Brian Robertson - Free Agent
Nobody called and probably nobody ever will. He's not a bad bench guy for a D-League team, but he just isn't drawing interest.

Crenshaw approves the job I did, then turns around and sells the team to B.B. Dyer in the offseason. He's a guy who wants to win a championship and he's much more loose with the pursestrings than Crenshaw was, though not excessively so. This may be the godsend I need to ink Buboltz to a contract extension.

I tell Dyer playoffs and he says he expects more out of us than that. Ulp. Can we have Crenshaw back again? He's fine with right about the cap again, though.

Coach Hiring

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar gets pink-slipped. Detlef Schrempf and Lionel Hollins are allowed to stay out their contracts.

There's some damn good coaches on the market, just like I hoped and I immediately make a play for the big name.

And we get him!!!!

Larry Brown, the great coaching nomad and legend, signs a 3 year, $6.6 million a year contract to be the new Denver Nuggets head coach!!!! Sure he's 70 years old, but he's just the guy we need for our team.

Other head coach changes the same day:
Don Nelson - New Jersey Nets (4 years, $5.63 mill/yr)
Doug Collins - New Orleans Hornets (5 years, $1.68 mill/yr)
Del Harris - Cleveland Cavaliers (4 years/$3.08 mill/yr)
Mike Brown - Washington Wizards (3 years, $2.21 mill/yr)

Later head coach changes:
Steve Van Gundy - Golden State Warriors (2 years, $1.66 mill/yr)
George Karl - New York Knicks (2 years, $5.43 mill/yr)

I nearly fell out of my chair in shocked laughter when I saw the Knicks signed Karl to a contract. I think George was very upset I didn't bring him back, so he's getting revenge by trying to make the Knicks a playoff team. Yeah, good luck with that Baldy.

My first choice for 1st assistant rejects us, so I sign Rory White for 3 years and too much money, but oh well. He's an improvement over Kareem.

For the first time since I took over the Nuggets, we're in great shape bodies-wise, with 10 players under contract heading into the offseason.

Realistically speaking, though, Ben Gordon's trade stock will never be higher than what it is right now. He's 30 years old, on a very affordable contract and coming off an All-NBA season, even if it's only 3rd Team. If I'm going to make a deal for a superstar, he's going to be it.

Unless I decide Paulinho Buboltz isn't going to cut it. I mean, suppose I get a really good PG and sacrifice Gordon to get him. How many guys Buboltz's size are even playing in this league, let alone starting at SG? ...Okay, there's one. Jameer Nelson in Orlando who has averaged between 13-15 points there. Hmm, not something I'd want to shell out $12 mill base and 10% raises for, but on the other hand, Nelson doesn't have anywhere near Buboltz's scoring instincts.

Then there's the SF problem. I investigate discussions with teams using Gordon as bait and there's quite a few teams willing to offload their...

...Wait a minute. Dan Jacobson can play SF. That's right. I'd forgotten about that.

A blockbuster with the defending champion Raptors falls through at the last minute, which is too bad, but I sort of expected it. The Trailblazers are wanting blood money for Brandon Brooks, aka Ben Gordon handed over to them.

In fact, everyone everywhere is demanding Gordon or Buboltz as part of any deal we make with them.

We do make one trade though.

Denver Nuggets receive
SG Mike Miller

Cleveland Cavaliers receive
PF Mehmet Okur

What this means for the Nuggets
Miller gives Denver much better ball-handling and outside shooting and a touch improved defense and scoring for the SF spot. He's also a year younger, but on the books for one more season than Okur. But he never was the secondary sparkplug in the Cavaliers offense and not in the playoffs either.

What this means for the Cavaliers
Okur provides Cleveland desparately needed rebounding, inside shooting and scoring instincts. While there's no guarantee he'll be a better second offensive option than Miller was, he's a much better fit with Lebron James than MM. He's also got just two years remaining on his contract.

Advantage: Cleveland
As much as this deal has pros and cons for both teams, we like the pros for the Cavaliers better. Miller is a more natural at SF than Okur, to be sure, but our suspicion is that the Turk will be better than the former Gator at improving his new team.

Bah, what do they know? I mean, we already had rebounding and inside shooting/scoring in Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson. It's a small improvement for us, but an improvement all the same, I think, because Miller won't have to be the do-or-die second option here in Denver. I mean, we've got Gordon, we've got Buboltz and Jacobson and Okafor have been shown scoring ability.

But I'm not done yet.

Denver Nuggets receive
PG Kirk Hinrich
SG Willie Green
Atlanta Hawks 2013 1st round pick (#18)

Atlanta Hawks receive
SF Al Thornton
PG Leigh Nash
Denver Nuggets 2013 1st round pick (#24)

What this means for the Nuggets
Hinrich has a horrible contract through his age 36 season, but that doesn't matter. He's a pass-first PG with some scoring punch and good defensive skills who instantly turns into Denver's 6th man. They haven't had this kind of luxury on the bench since Chauncey Billups. Green's on the books for $3.6 million a year for the next 4 years and is roster filler, but the Nuggets just moved up 6 places in the first round.

What this means for the Hawks
Let's face it, Atlanta, their surprise run to the 2nd round and taking the Celtics to 7 games last seaon aside, aren't going to be title contenders any time soon, which played a big role in Hinrich's demanding a trade. Thornton may be $9 million a year for the next 4 years and a bench player, but the Hawks still shed on average $3 million a year the next four seasons thanks to dumping both Hinrich and Green. Nash is an end of the bench player and a min-sal expiring contract.

Advantage: Denver
GM Jestor is in Win Now mode and the pressure to deliver a title has only been heightened by the recent change in ownership and Larry Brown's hiring. Giving them a safety net at the guard spots goes a long, long way to filling that aim. Besides, who plays PG for the Hawks now?

I still need an improvement in bench big men and I'm still searching for that superstar... but at least I've got my starting PG now, so I can make a choice about Gordon or Buboltz. Noah and Wright are still there for the dealing as well.

There's still a lot of thinking to be done, but I like where we're headed.

[boberot]

*whew*

took me a while to catch up after getting distracted for a while there.
Great stuff.

This has been a fun read, especially as I play through a season along-side of my perusals here.

In fact, your dynasty has changed my play style somewhat -- while I thought you were nuts at first to not even tinker with line-ups and depth charts, I've been experimenting with playing that way and enjoying it. [I'm so much more of a micro-manager that I'd enjoyed "coaching" every game, but the pace your way is much nicer.]

Anyway, keep up the good work.

[Izulde]

*whew*

took me a while to catch up after getting distracted for a while there.
Great stuff.

This has been a fun read, especially as I play through a season along-side of my perusals here.

In fact, your dynasty has changed my play style somewhat -- while I thought you were nuts at first to not even tinker with line-ups and depth charts, I've been experimenting with playing that way and enjoying it. [I'm so much more of a micro-manager that I'd enjoyed "coaching" every game, but the pace your way is much nicer.]

Anyway, keep up the good work.

Thank you! :) Glad to hear you're enjoying and running seasons along with the dynasty and I'm flattered that it's affected your play style a bit. I think it's great the game offers both options.

[Barkeep49]

So I've slowly read this and it was a great read. Nice job of injecting all sorts of personality into a game that I think lacks it compared to their College Basketball version.

[damnMikeBrown]

Come on...pick it up! We need more Cowbell! Erm, I mean we need more Nuggets!

[Izulde]

Barkeep49: Thanks! :) It's funny, because I actually like the pro version better than the college version. I'm not sure what it is about Gary's pro basketball games, but they're the text sims that once I get hooked into a dynasty about them, I can't stop until months afterwards.

damnMikeBrown: I've been wanting to, believe me. But I've been hit with a RTE:91 in the next draft that I've tried to run twice, so I sent my files in to Gary to see if he can find out what's up and fix them.

[Izulde]

I sit on the fence some more and decide to wait until the draft.

There's some good looking swingmen, SG/SF types in this class it looks like from the mocks. We've also got the second coming of Buboltz in 19 year old Argentinian PG Luis Pau.

If we stay at #18, we're projected to take SF Vidal White, a senior out of Connecticut. Honestly, though, the initial reports on him don't impress me much. There's also a few big men worth taking a look at for the 2nd round.

In my opinion, PF Pete Totten, a sophomore out of Oklahoma and SG Charles Seegars a one and done Tarheel, look like the best two players in the class from the first scouting reports.

After workouts, there's one player that emerges as the cream of the crop and another player who wouldn't be a bad secondary option if we can't move up to get our top guy.

2013 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. PF Kerwin Haston - Washington Wizards
2. PF Pete Totten - New York Knicks

The Knicks just got a huge, huge gift from the Wizards, who should've never passed on him. Call it the good luck charm of George Karl or something. Haston, by the way, is the first player ever drafted from Hampton and he goes #1 overall. Unbelievable.

3. SF Buddy Bracey - Cleveland Cavaliers

Wow! My 2nd choice winds up going #3 overall. Not what I anticipated at all. This is turning into one crazy, crazy draft.

4. PF Eric White - New Orleans Hornets
5. SF Ron McPherson - New Orleans Hornets

There was no way my #1 choice (McPherson) was lasting past the Hornets and I knew that. Problem being, the Hornets weren't willing to entertain a trade.

6. SG Charles Seegars - Chicago Bulls

To be honest, I was a lot less impressed with Seegars after we brought him in for a workout, so to see him drop some isn't surprising. The analysts are stunned he fell that far, though.

7. PF Todd Dissinger - Miami Heat
8. C Martin Beerbohm - New Jersey Nets

The Golden State Warriors, who pick next, are pissed. They needed a C in the worst way and the best one of a really weak class goes off the pick before theirs.

9. C Brandon Blanks - Golden State Warriors

....Leading them to really reach. This guy's a late 1st round pick, maybe.

10. PG Branko Starcevic - Seattle Supersonics
11. C Lavell Ledbetter - Orlando Magic

Unbelievable. There's a guy I thought sure would have gone off the board by now who's still sitting around. The only problem is that his attitude's been brought into serious question. Is he worth trying to move up 7 spots for given that question mark?

No. Not that far up at any rate.

12. C Chris Washington - Utah Jazz

This is really something. All these reaches on mediocre and/or undersized centers. Craziness abounds.

13. SG Jerian McCrary - Portland Trailblazers

Portland just got giftwrapped the player I thought about trading up for. With his kind of potential, especially as a scorer, you'd be crazy to pass on him in the mid 1st round, especially with the bench woes the Trailblazers have.

14. SG Matt Michaels - Phoenix Suns
15. PF Sean Griffin - Sacramento Kings
16. PG Luis Pau - Philadelphia 76ers
17. PG Josh Brinson - Memphis Grizzlies

The analysts are saying we'll take SF Rodney Brown, a 22 year old out of Oklahoma State. He's got good scoring instincts and a great work ethic, but he's got a mercurial temperment and is a turnover machine and a half. I'm just not excited about him at all, especially not compared to McPherson and Bracey.

And that's when we pull off the blockbluster, a trade that is so stunning, I can't believe I've done it until three weeks later.

Denver Nuggets receive
SF Patrick Pastner
SG Mateen Yeaton
C Phillip Gill
PG Marcus Williams

Indiana Pacers receive
PF Joakim Noah
PF Leroy Wright
SG Ben Gordon
PG Paulinho Buboltz
Denver Nuggets 2013 1st round pick (#18)

What this means for the Nuggets
GM Jestor has long coveted Yeaton and it's not hard to see why. He's 25, a two-time All-Star who just made the All-NBA 2nd Team last season and he gives Denver major size at the SG spot for the first time since Jestor's arrival at 6'8, 207 lbs. He's extremely polished and the Nuggets believe he can be the new AI. Pastner has quietly developed into a consistent, solid starting SF and at 24, he helps make Denver a lot younger in the starting lineup. Most importantly, he forces Mike Miller[/b to the 6th man spot, where he'll be much more effective. Gill is raw, but has some very nice potential. Under the Great Teacher [b]Larry Brown, he'll develop a lot more quickly than he would've under George Karl. Williams is a pass-first PG with good shooting talents, though he lacks the killer instinct.

What this means for the Pacers
The Pacers have pined for Buboltz in the same way that Jestor craved Yeaton and, together with Gordon, suddenly Indiana has a fearsome 3-guard set in Buboltz, Gordon and Tony Parker, a trio reminiscent of the Buboltz-Gordon-Chauncey Billups grouping in Denver a couple seasons ago. Gordon is a good replacement for Yeaton's offense and in Buboltz, Indiana sees a future franchise player and one of the best PGs in the NBA, if not the best. High opinions, but valid, given Paulinho's steady improvement in his three years in the league and the fact that he's still just 21 years old. Noah provides defensive punch that the Pacers lacked and tenatively slots in as the starting SF. Wright fell out of favor after a solid rookie season, but he's proven a capable starting C before and for the heretofore big-man-starved Pacers, he could be just what they're looking for at the five.

Advantage: Draw
This is a major shakeup for both teams and it's too early yet to tell who will come out on top. Buboltz and Yeaton are both in the final year of their rookie contracts with no extension signed, something that may have played a factor in the trade.

18. SG Kevin Davis - Indiana Pacers
19. SG David Jordan - Indiana Pacers

Two shooting guards? Interesting. I thought sure they would've gone with Brown, but they passed on him. Strange decision by the Pacers here, but it's been that kind of first round.

20. PG Donovan McCarthy - Minnesota Timberwolves
21. SF Grant Fomby - Milwaukee Bucks
22. PG Scott Duggins - Detroit Pistons
23. PG Luther Kemppe - Boston Celtics

A late 2nd round type pick as a late 1st rounder. Boneheaded move by the C's here.

24. PG Tony Rowles - Atlanta Hawks
25. PG Kyle Reynolds - San Antonio Spurs
26. SG Larry Dove - Charlotte Bobcats
27. SG Jermaine Stokes - Houston Rockets
28. SF Rodney Brown - Los Angeles Lakers

Drops all the way to the Purple and Gold, where the Lakers snatch him up. Great, great value pick at this stage in the draft. I think he'll prove a valuable addition to the Lakers, especially with some of their players getting up there in years.

29. SF Vidal White - Toronto Raptors
30. PF John West - Dallas Mavericks

I'm so busy fielding calls about our blockbuster with the Pacers that I don't even see who the talking heads have us taking in the 2nd round. I take a flyer on the guy who looks like the best player left, SG Steve Harris, 22, out of UConn. The pick's a split decision by Chris and J.P., but I don't care. 2nd rounders rarely last more than a season or two on my teams anyway.

After the draft, I get a closer look at Harris and I'm initially not very impressed. He'll have to have one hell of a training camp to stick with the team.

Mateen Yeaton gets a $12 million base, 5 year contract with 10% raises. It'll mean a tightrope financially the next several seasons, but in my opinion, he'll be worth every penny. Besides, the new owner is willing to pay the cash, so long as we win.

Emeka Okafor lands a new contract as well, $7.35 million base for 5 seasons and 10% raises. The initial offer was $6.98 million base, but like a moron, I tried to negotiate a little lower and the end result was the agent just kept coming back with higher and higher offers. Emeka's 31, so by the end of the contract, he's going to be a $10.7 million albatross, right in the same year Yeaton's making $17.5 mill, but we'll worry about that when the time comes.

For now, I'm just happy believing that we've finally put together the kind of team that can at last break through and win the championship.

[damnMikeBrown]

Wow...not a huge fan of the move. Yes, you covet MY..but the young Bubolz and my favorite Gordon..that just hurts.

You'd better produce lest I switch my alegance to Indy!

[Izulde]

Wow...not a huge fan of the move. Yes, you covet MY..but the young Bubolz and my favorite Gordon..that just hurts.

You'd better produce lest I switch my alegance to Indy!

I know it's a huge gamble, but as much as I love Gordon myself, he just doesn't seem to have that IT, the kind that takes over postseason games like the AIs and the Kobes of the world.

Buboltz was tough to give up, too. If he turns out a franchise player for the Pacers over the next several seasons, I'm going to look really, really bad here.

It's going to be a fascinating next few years, that's for sure.

[Izulde]

I opt not to renounce either of the contracts on the team, as we're at $2 million over the cap and renouncing them would push us under the cap at a disadvantaged level.

Duez Walker, Steve Harris and Phillip Gill all get Summer League spots.

Summer League

We stumble out of the blocks with an 0-2 start but rebound to get a victory in the third game against the Hawks. Phillip Gill shows some real potential and Steve Harris is surprisingly effective off the bench the first few games, trends that continue as we lose to Chicago and beat Boston to close out the summer league session.

I really think Gill is going to surprise a lot of people this year with how much he's improved.

Free Agency

Looking over our team, what we really need is defensive punch on the bench and of course, we can always use a little more scoring there as well. Our starting five is pretty much set, barring a massive upgrade at SF that we couldn't afford anyway.

PG Johnny Willias, he of the superlative talent and four years of 9 points a game and a goodly number of assists as another underachieving Knick, highlights the free agent class, if only because of his talent and the fact that he's 24. C Narcyz Malinomowski, the great Polish sieve C who can score and rebound to make up for his defensive deficiencies, is a restricted free agent as well. Other than that, there's quite a few of the usual over 30 big names that are in their twilight.

We sign SF Shane Battier to our low exemption fairly early on in free agency. He doesn't have much left in the tank at 35 years old, but he still plays defense like a rock, can play 3 positions and is a smart player. A few days later, we re-sign Shaun Livingston to a 3 year min-sal deal, because Javaris Crittenton was demanding mid-level type money.

Paul Pierce is the first big name change, jumping from Detroit to San Antonio on a 1 year, $12 million deal. The Pistons recoup by signing Vince Carter to a 1 year, $10.5 million contract. I think the Spurs got the major advantage there. The Pistons also stole away Antawn Jamison for 4 years, $24.7 million.

But that was nothing compared to the incredulity that swept everyone involved with the league; players, fans, coaches, media, front office personnel, when Tim Duncan took 4 years and $24.7 million to go to the Charlotte Bobcats.

We tried our damndest to lure Allen Iverson back to Denver, but he spurned our mid-level exemption to take a 5 year, $32.2 million deal from the defending champion Toronto Raptors. I can't say I blame AI. He's 38 years old and he's getting some serious money to go to a winning team.

After that, there was no one really worth offering the mid-level to, so we inked PF Steven Caspers and C Pavel Podkolzin to min-sal deals on the same day that Zelipe Gama heads to the Heat on a 4 year, $30.4 mill. deal.

Richard Hamilton, who I considered offering the mid-level to, takes that to go to the Nets. Darko Milicic, who never did pan out, goes to the Clippers for 3 years, $12.1 mill.

I'm pissed when I find out Javaris Crittenton took a 2 year min-sal deal from the Chicago Bulls, because he's a lot better and younger than Livingston, but you live, you learn, I guess. Chauncey Billups accepted a min-sal from Memphis the same day. The next day, [Starbury[ min-sals to the Duncan-less Spurs and two days later it's [b]Ray Allen for $2.73 mill for a year to the Washington Wizards.

It was a pretty dull free agency this year, if you want to know the truth. No real high-level talent out there beyond the greybeards. Oh yeah, Ike Diogu min-saled to Detroit for a year, just as long as we're keeping tabs on ex-players of mine.

In the end, I opted not to sign Steve Harris to a contract. I decided it just wasn't worth that kind of money to invest in him.

Scary money situation two years from now, though. Barring trades, we're committed to $70.5 million right now for just 9 players. If we don't get out the gate fast, there's going to be some more changes made.

Training Camp

Dan Jacobson really turned heads in camp and Larry Brown believes he's still got some growth potential left in him. Counterbalancing that, Phillip Gill still has some nice ceiling, but Brown doesn't think it's as high as we thought when we traded for him, primarily because he showed horrible ballhandling skills.

But our starting rotation is set at least.

Denver Nuggets 2013 Opening Day Lineup
PG Kirk Hinrich
SG Mateen Yeaton
SF Patrick Pastner
PF Emeka Okafor
C Dan Jacobson
6th Mike Miller (SG/SF)
7th Phillip Gill (SF/PF/C)
8th Marcus Williams (PG/SG)
9th Shane Battier (SG/SF/PF)
10th Duez Walker (PG/SG/SF)
11th Shaun Livingston (PG/SG)
12th Willie Green (PG/SG/SF)

I'm thinking about sending Duez down to the D-League because it looks like he'll be struggling to find minutes in this lineup, but I'll keep him up for now.

The preseason mags have us tabbed for 7th in the West, which is more credit than what they've given us in years past. They have us 3rd in the division behind the Trailblazers, who are the conference favorites and who will probably underachieve again, and the Utah Jazz, who are the #2 seed. The Jazz, the #2 seed? HA!

What's even funnier--the Knicks projected as the top seed in the East. I'm sorry, but even though they've made a huge upgrade at C with Murray Alexander a free-agent signing and even though they've got Carmelo and a rapidly improving Jeremy Leach, along with the top rookie in the class in Pete Totten, this is still an underachieving team about to be on par with Portland. Then again, George Karl -is- the head coach...

Indiana's picked to just miss the playoffs with the 9th seed. Not really a surprise, since Tyson Chandler and Joakim Noah are two of their frontcourt starters at C and SF respectively.

But who knows?

I'm really looking forward to this year, that's all I know.

[Izulde]

There's a lot of pressure on this team and everybody from me and Larry Brown on down knows it. We've re-vamped this team so completely that Dan Jacobson and Duez Walker are the senior members of the squad, having played all of 2012 in a Nuggets uniform. Larry's going to have to figure out a way to get them to gel and gel fast.

Halloween Night against the Lakers proves an auspicious start as we win 117-102. Emeka Okafor has 17 points and 10 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich looks exactly like the perfect PG I like on my teams with 23 points and 13 assists and our bench was terrific, with 19 and 12 points a piece from Mike Miller and Marcus Williams. That's 19 points in 18 minutes from M&M. Can you say 6th man if he can keep it up? Mateen Yeaton, by the way, scored 20 in his much-hyped Denver debut.

The joy of topping the powerhouse Lakers goes down with a frustrating 79-71 loss to the Timberwolves next game. Kirk Hinrich was our only real offensive force with 20 points, though Marcus Williams did score 12 from the bench. I hate divisional losses.

We snap back with a 100-93 victory over the Jazz, our first of two in three days against Utah. Kirk Hinrich continues to be on fire with 20 points and 10 assists and Good Mike Miller showed up with 17 bench points after scoring just 2 against Minnesota. This is proving a really fun team to watch and I think they're going to surprise some people with just how good they are once they get used to playing with each other.

Divisional doubleheader of Jazz Part 2 and Seattle up next. We lose both and by fairly close margins, the first one 96-92 against Utah despite 20 points and 10 assists from Kirk Hinrich, 15 points and 13 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, 12 and 10 reserve points from Mike Miller and Marcus Williams and 14 bench rebounds from Phillip Gill. The Supersonics superseded us 104-97 as Brooks Smith rained on us for 39 points, runing Mateen Yeaton's breakout game of 28 points and Kirk Hinrich's fifth straight game of 20+ points with 20 exactly.

A 107-93 victory over the Pistons brings us back up to .500 as Emeka Okafor (21 points), [b]Mateen Yeaton (26 points) and [b]Kirk Hinrich (20 points) all break the 20 point barrier, Dan Jacobson doubles at 14 with 14 points and 14 rebounds to go with 6 blocks and Mike Miller leads the second team with 10 points.

The Kings give us the royal treatment on the road, hospitably hosting a 101-91 Nuggets victory keyed by the most astounding team effort I've ever seen from any of my franchises. 7 players in double-digit scoring and not one of them had more than 16 points (Patrick Pastner). Mike Miller topped the reserves naturally, with 13 points, but Phillip Gill added 10 points and continues to flash tantalizing potential.

Toronto brings us back down to .500 even as Patrick Pastner erupts for 30 points and Mike Miller scores 16 off the bench. The Raptors' front court is still otherwordly and with Allen Iverson now in the mix, still averaging over 17 points a game in the early part of his age 38 season, they're just that much more unstoppable. All things considered, 104-92 isn't a bad amount to lose by.

We take out our inability to establish consistent winning on the Bulls, Patrick Pastner pummeling Chicago for 24 points, Emeka Okafor putting up 13 points and 15 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich with 20 points and Phillip Gill with 12 points in 11 minutes to key the reserves.

Sweet revenge against Dallas as we crush the Mavericks 110-89. Mateen Yeaton has his best game yet as a Nugget with 33 points, 3 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 blocks and a steal and Kirk Hinrich (21 points, 14 assists), Emeka Okafor (14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 steals) and Dan Jacobson (14 points, 12 rebounds), all come out of it with fantastic double-doubles. Something tells me Dallas isn't going to be so hot this year.

A genuine win streak emerges when we nix the Nets 109-99, Mateen Yeaton and Patrick Pastner combining for the most damage at 28 and 24 points respectively, Kirk Hinrich with 12 points and 10 assists, Shane Battier chiming in with 10 points in 10 minutes off the bench.

It's a streak I fear in danger in the upcoming doubleheader against the Spurs and the Rockets, and I'm right as San Antonio beats us 92-85. Only Emeka Okafor with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Mateen Yeaton with 29 points acted like they came to play. Everyone else just sucked. We rebound beautifully with a 20 point victory (114-94) over the Rockets in Houston, though as Mateen Yeaton grounds Yao Ming's boys with a sizzling 37 points. Patrick Pastner chimed in with 20 points, Kirk Hinrich contributes an ecellent 15 points and 18 assists and Phillip Gill double-doubles off the bench with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Mateen Yeaton Show continues with another scorching 37 points in a 124-89 win versus the Hornets. Emeka Okafor added 23 points, Mike Miller scored 13 off the bench and Phillip Gill had his second straight reserve double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He may be coming into his potential even faster than I figured.

We end the first month of player with a 120-102 triumph against Cleveland. John Aylsworth, a fifth year player who was taken with the 13th overall pick by the Jazz in 2009 and who signed a free agent deal with the Cavs in 2011, has really come into his own since coming to Cleveland. He torches us for 42 points in this game and is averaging 20.1 points in the early going, a worthy complement to Lebron James (at long last!, King James cries). But even with Aylsworth's 42 points and King James's 27 points, they still can't top Mateen Yeaton's third straight 30+ point game at 31, Patrick Pastner's 27 points or doubles from Dan Jacobson (16 points, 12 rebounds) and Kirk Hinrich (13 points, 14 assists).

And so at 10-5, we're deadlocked with Seattle atop the Northwest, with the worst team in the division the Utah Jazz at 8-8. Yeah, the Northwest is that damn good this year.

I'll cover the other conference notes at the end of next month, as I hate reporting after November, because it's too early.

But I just have to point this out.

The #1 team in the East with an 11-4 record is none other than..... the Indiana Pacers, who are riding 27.5 points a game from Ben Gordon and solid play from Jermaine O'Neal, Tony Parker and Paulinho Buboltz to heights not experienced in a long, long time.

Although I've said before that it's still too early to judge the trade, so far, it seems to have worked out great for both teams. Oh, one more thing. Leroy Wright won the starting C job after all and is averaging 7.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, a block and a steal. He's really found new life with the Pacers and I'm happy for him.

I almost forgot. One more thing.

Buboltz-Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
15 games/10 starts - 14.0 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 8.7 APG, 0.6 BPG, 0.9 SPG
Mateen Yeaton
15 games/15 starts - 23.9 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.7 BPG, 1.6 SPG

And Buboltz still has no contract extension.

[Autumn]

Wow, big shakeups. I hardly recognize these guys. It will be interesting to see how they settle in.

[Izulde]

Wow, big shakeups. I hardly recognize these guys. It will be interesting to see how they settle in.

They seem to be settling in pretty well if the record and the recent hot play by Mateen Yeaton and Patrick Pastner are any indication.

Yeaton really struggled the first several games and I was starting to :banghead: , but then after he got adjusted, I was all :)

[Izulde]

No trades in the first month of play.

December starts off right with a 109-90 victory over the Heat. Mateen Yeaton scores 38 points for his fourth consecutive 30+ point game, Patrick Pastner scores 24 and Dan Jacobson double-doubles with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Our win streak comes to a screeching halt in a 96-89 loss to the Magic, as does Mateen Yeaton's 30+ streak (he finished with 23 points). Emeka Okafor doubled with 17 points and 12 rebounds, as did with 16 points and 10 assists.

As if that wasn't bad enough, [b]Phillip Gill breaks his toe and is out for approximately the next two months. That's really going to hamper his development time. It also leaves us periliously thin at reserve C, so I sign C Brendan Haywood, 34 years old, to fill in the gap.

Fun matchup to watch against the Wizards, as Gilbert Arenas scores 41 points and Mateen Yeaton scores 36. In the end, we triumph, 109-86, as Patrick Pastner plays an excellent second man with 22 points, Emeka Okafor garners 15 points and 10 rebounds and Pavel Podkolzin, who's taken over Phillip Gill's reserve C role, grabs 10 boards off the bench.

Then the -real- stunner happens. We upset the Raptors 97-89 in Toronto as Mateen Yeaton scores 23 and Dan Jacobson gets a weak man's double of 10 points and 11 rebounds. Just fantastic defense on our part to stifle the defending champions. AI is still averaging over 17 points a game, by the way.

We keep the winning alive with a 112-87 snoozer over the Knicks. Mateen Yeaton is magnificient with 31 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and a steal. Kirk Hinrich is almost as worthy with 27 points and 14 assists and Dan Jacobson has a nice 16 points and 12 rebounds. Same old underachieving New York. They've got Pete Totten starting at C, even though he's far too small to play there in my opinion. He's averaging 8.4 points and 10.8 rebounds. Not bad for being a rookie and playing way out of position. I think he's going to end up being one of the greats.

The East Coast road trip continues its annual jaunt with a doubleheader against the 76ers and Celtics. Back-to-backs haven't been kind to us this year so far and it shows here. Philadelphia edges us 99-95, wasting Dan Jacobson's 19 points and 16 rebounds and Mike Miller's 15 points and Boston beats us soundly, 111-100 as everyone struggled, save for Kirk Hinrich with 11 points and 11 assists and Pavel Podkolzin just missing a reserve double with 10 points and 9 rebounds.

Unfortunately, we've another doubleheader up next in Florida against the Heat and Magic. We just narrowly beat the Heat 99-97 behind a balnced team effort highlighted by double-doubles from Dan Jacobson (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Kirk Hinrich (18 points, 13 assists) and 16 bench points from Mike Miller. Orland goes down even harder, 113-94, as Patrick Pastner scores 27, Kirk Hinrichs unstoppable with 22 points and 17 assists and Dan Jacobson and Emeka Okafor both double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds and 14 points and 10 rebounds respectively. It's a sweep we really needed to boost our confidence in playing back-to-back nights.

Road trip over, we head back home to beat the Suns by 10 (105-95) on the strength of Mateen Yeaton and Patrick Pastner both scoring 23 and Kirk Hinrich bettering them with 24 points and 10 assists.

We emphatically and very satisfyingly slaughter Seattle 110-99 in the next game as Mateen Yeaton puts up 26 points, Dan Jacobson adds 16 points and 12 rebounds and Marcus Williams leads the bench with 10 points.

It makes for an enjoyable break before our annual Christmas Eve and Christmas Day doubleheader against the Mavericks and the Warriors. We punch Dallas out 116-103 as Mateen Yeaton, Patrick Pastner and Dan Jacobson all score 20 points or more with 26, 24 and 20 respectively. Kirk Hinrich doubles with 15 points and 13 assists and Mike Miller provides the reserve scoring punch with 13 points. Our defense goes on display against Golden State as we top the Warriors 91-71. We held them to 37% shooting and we didn't do too badly ourselves, as Kirk Hinrich and Mateen Yeaton both scored 23 points, Dan Jacobson pulled down 22 boards and Mike Miller stayed hot as the top second man with 15 points.

The holiday festivities continue with a 102-71 home thrashing of the 76ers. Dan Jacobson and Emeka Okafor celebrate with double-doubles of 18 points and 12 rebounds and 10 points and 15 rebounds, but the real stunner was with the second team. Steven Caspers scored 13 and Mike Miller compensated for Mateen Yeaton's foul trouble with a blistering 30 points off the bench to take home Player of the Game honors.

A back-to-back against the Los Angeles teams carries us to January 2nd as it does every year. We lose 119-109 on the road on New Year's Eve to the Lakers, despite 28 points from Mateen Yeaton, 10 points and 19 rebounds from Dan Jacobson and some sensational reserve play: Steven Caspers with 10 points, Mike Miller with 16 points and Shaun Livingston with a surprising 11 points and 10 rebounds. There was just no answering Kobe Bryant's 43 points. The New Year rings in with a refreshing 108-96 victory over the Clippers, though, as Mateen Yeaton scores 23, [b]Patrick Pastner adds 20 points and Kirk Hinrich and Emeka Okafor both put on double-doubles, Kirk with 21 points and 14 assists, Emeka with 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Phillip Gill is still out for another 21 days, but at least we get him back late this month. We've been doing well without him, but with him, it feels like we're that much stronger and I still consider him a fantastic diamond in the rough.

In any event, we're the #2 team in the West right now with a 22-9 record and stand two and a half games in front of the Minnesota Timberwolves, four ahead of the Trailblazers who are finally showing some ability with a 17-12 mark.

The Lakers tops in the West at 25-3 doesn't surprise anyone. What -is- a shocker is who leads the Southwest... the Memphis Grizzlies, with a half-game advantage on the Mavericks. The Spurs are struggling at 16-16 and the Rockets are a stunning 12-19.

The Grizz have been powered by a remarkably balanced offense of Rudy Gay (18.3 points), Pau Gasol (17.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.6 blocks), Chris Gearheart (15.8 points), Narcyz Malinomowski (15.7 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks) and Durko Jagr (13.4 points). Thrown in Marvin Williams's 9.2 reserve points while capable of playing all 5 positions and you've got an exceptionally solid rotation.

Indiana's come down to earth and hold a 17-11 record, still good for a 2.5 game lead over the Bucks in the Central. We've a new surprise top team in the East in the Boston Celtics at 20-11, a game and a half ahead of Toronto. Charlotte, the annual kings of the Southeast, still lay claim to that title at 17-11.

I gleefully report that the preseason fellate New York Knicks are an abominal 8-22. Not so big now, are you George Karl?

To cap off the month, it's time for....

Buboltz-Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
28 games/23 starts - 13.9 PPG 3.0 RPG 9.0 APG 0.6 BPG 1.1 SPG
Mateen Yeaton
31 game/31 starts - 23.8 PPG 4.8 RPG 2.1 APG 1.9 BPG 1.7 SPG

[Autumn]

Well I'm just :popcorn:

It'll be great to see stats later in the season, so I can wrap my head around who's who.

[Izulde]

Well I'm just :popcorn:

It'll be great to see stats later in the season, so I can wrap my head around who's who.

:) You'll get it sorted out I'm sure, especially if you go back and refer to the depth chart a time or two. Also, I'm sure, knowing me, that there'll be some sort of stats posting later in the season.

[Izulde]

We've got activity to report from December.

Philadelphia 76ers receive:
SG Stephen Jackson
New York Knicks 2014 2nd round pick

New York Knicks receive
PG Jefferson Flint

What this means for the 76ers
Jackson's 35, but he can play both guard spots and SF while providing some offense and defense off the bench in addition to being an expiring min-sal deal. The biggest value appears to be the probable high 2nd round pick.

What this means for the Knicks
Flint's a 24 year old 3rd year taken at 1.23 by the Suns in the 2011 draft. He hasn't ever developed and it doesn't look like he ever will. More tellingly, even with Johnny Willias, New York's starting PG out with a broken foot, Jefferson's still on the inactive list. Hard to tell why the Knicks made this trade, given all the youth they have in their backcourt, but then again, it's the Knicks and that's probably answer enough.

Advantage: Philadelphia
The 76ers actually get something for their end of the deal.

Detroit Pistons receive
SF Bobby Simmons

Boston Celtics receive
PF Nene Hilario

What this means for the Pistons
Simmons is a good shooter and defender, able to play SG/SF/PF and even better, he's an expiring $6.6 million contract. While it's questionable just how much playing time he'll get with Detroit, he's a nice addition to any team, even at 33.

What this means for the Celtics
Nene is an average all-around player and he quickly fell out of favor after his first season in Detroit. That said, he fills a gaping hole for Boston, which lacked any kind of quality depth that could play the five and since he's 31, the two years left on his contract isn't too horrendous.

Advantage: Draw
A little something for each team, with a little drawback for each situation.

Seattle Supersonics receive
SG Richard Hamilton

New Jersey Nets receive
C Robert Swift

What this means for the Supersonics
Hamilton's a brilliant shooter who plays okay defense even at 35 and he's a mid-sized expiring contract. He gives Seattle some instant offense, not that they really needed anymore, particularly not on their bench.

What this means for the Nets
28 year old Swift is a good rebounder, shotblocker and defender and that's about it. He's considerably overpriced at $5 million and change for the next two years and it's doubtful he'll see many minutes at all, given New Jersey's glut of quality young big men.

Advantage: Seattle
In a case of two franchises stocking up on their strengths, Hamilton's expiring contract gives the Sonics the edge.

Philadelphia 76ers receive
SF Courtney Jones

Atlanta Hawks receive
SF Charles Elleby

What this means for the 76ers
It's telling just how weak Philadelphia is at SG when the absolutely uninspiring 26 year old, 4th year Jones is the starter there. Given that hole, it's surprising the 76ers have a winning record, but at least he does represent an improvement at the spot.

What this means for the Hawks
Elleby is very average and 25. He plays both forward spots and that's about it. He's also quite buried on Atlanta's bench.

Advantage: Philadelphia
The 76ers get a starter. The Hawks got somebody it felt like they were trading just to make a trade.

Detroit Pistons receive
PG Kenny Graham
Golden State Warriors 2014 2nd round pick

Golden State Warriors receive
SG Rico Wolfe
SF Raymond Badu

What this means for the Pistons
Graham, 22 years old, in his 3rd season after being taken at 1.13 in 2011 by the Warriors. He was something of an attitude problem in Golden State, which is why he's being traded, but his talents are delicious. Already one of the top passers in the league, he's having a breakout season offensively, averaging 16.3 points and he's working on developing his shooting all the more. Needless to say, he instantly becomes Detroit's starting PG, something they needed. The 2nd rounder's just a small cherry for the top.

What this means for the Warriors
The 21 year old, 2nd season Wolfe is raw, but has some potential, particularly on the defensive end (taken 1.24 last year by the Pistons). He can play PG/SG/SF and may see some time thanks to that versatility. The 24 year old Badu, Detroit's 2nd rounder last year, is a throwaway type, particularly given he can only play SF.

Advantage: Detroit
Attitude problems or not, Graham has all the makings of being a star in this league and this 2 for 1 deal is extremely heavily weighted to the 1, especially when the bonus 2nd rounder looks quite high indeed.

I should've known there'd be a flurry of activity after the quiet of the first month. I'm really impressed with Detroit's ability to rob Golden State for Graham, even though he may be unhappy given that the Pistons aren't that much better than the Warriors right now.

Things start off this month for us with a nasty set of doubleheaders. The first one pairs up against San Antonio and Houston. We pull off the 10-point upset on the road against the Spurs, 115-105, as Kirk Hinrich doubles with 25 points and 12 assists, Patrick Pastner scores 25, Dan Jacobson doubles with 16 points and 20 rebounds and our bench goes into scoring fun with 14 points from Mike Miller and 12 points from Steven Caspers. We crush the Rockets 110-77 in an impressive result. Patrick Pastner has a great game with 21 points, 4 assists, 7 rebounds, a block and 4 steals. Mateen Yeaton scores 20 and Emeka Okafor double-doubles with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Our reserves are led by Mike Miller with 19 points and Shaun Livingston just breaking the double-digit point barrier with 10.

Tracy McGrady scores 35 points against us as the Kings prevail 96-87. Our offense pretty much fell asleep, save for Mike Miller with 21 points off the bench and middling doubles of 10 points and 15 rebounds and 14 points and 14 rebounds respectively from Dan Jacobson and Emeka Okafor. Things look even grimmer in a 113-103 home loss to the Lakers, despite 23 points and 13 assists from Kirk Hinrich, 20 points from Patrick Pastner. 12 points and 10 rebounds from Dan Jacobson and 10 bench points from Mike Miller. We need to solve the Purple and Gold riddle if we want to get back on top.

We take out our frustrations on the Timberwolves, whipping Minnesota 91-70. Mateen Yeaton scores 23 and Kirk Hinrich passes out 10 assists to go with his 18 points. One thing I've noticed is that Yeaton is an extremely streaky shooter. He'll go through periods of lights out scoring and then he'll go through stretches of drought. That could be dangerous come playoff time if he's not the AI type I figured him to be.

Seattle and Golden State back to back on the road is up next and we're playing both games without the services of Mike Miller, who's out with a pulled groin. We beat the Warriors handily, 90-76, in a curious game. Our stars, if you can call them that, are Emeka Okafor with 10 points and 10 boards, Dan Jacobson with 10 points and 15 rebounds and Steven Caspers with 11 bench points. It felt a lot like a minor conference college game. But the jets are turned back on, way on against the Supersonics and we just edge Seattle, 108-105. Kirk Hinrich blisters Seattle for 35 points and 10 assists, Mateen Yeaton scores 22 and Steven Caspers adds 10 points to lead the second team.

After those two games and seeing what we'd look like without Mike Miller, I'm definitely keeping him through at least this season before I try and offload his ghastly contract.

Memphis goes down 94-75 next game as Dan Jacobson looks great with 24 points and 13 rebounds. Emeka Okafor puts up 10 points and 14 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich contributes 20 points and 11 assists.

The Mavericks fall 109-97 on their own home court, thanks to Mateen Yeaton's 27 points, Emeka Okafor's 12 points and 12 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich's 10 points and 14 assists, Shaun Livingston's 10 bench points and a very pleasant and unexpected 13 points and 10 rebounds off the bench from Pavel Podkolzin. Jonte Jones is still great for Dallas, as is Dirk Nowitzki, but my impression is that the Mavericks are looking like a really old team and that's only going to get worse as the season goes on.

Two back-to-backs on the road against the Central Divison comprise our next four games. Chicago and Detroit are our first stops and we win both places. Mateen Yeaton scores 34, Dan Jacobson double-doubles with 22 points and 14 rebounds, Patrick Pastner adds 21 points and Marcus Williams has 12 bench points as we celebrate Phillip Gill's return with a 106-100 victory over the Bulls. Kirk Hinrich singlehandedly bails us out in a 92-89 nailbiter over the Pistons with 36 points. Nobody else played well enough to get a mention.

Milwaukee and Indiana cap off the four-game road Central tour and you can bet that the anticipation for the Pacers game was off the hook. Unfortunately, we got caught looking ahead to Indiana and the Bucks ambushed us 99-77. Only Mateen Yeaton came to play with 24 points and 10 rebounds. We were so shell-shocked by the loss, the Pacers smacked us in the face 109-91. Sure, Mateen Yeaton scored 20, Dan Jacobson had 12 points and 17 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich 16 points and 11 assists and yeah, Mike Miller scored 12 from the bench. But Ben Gordon scored 33 and a slew of double-doubles came rolling in for Indiana: Joakim Noah (14 points, 11 rebounds), Jermaine O'Neal (16 points, 11 rebounds) and Paulinho Buboltz (10 points, 13 assists). Tony Parker paced the Pacers second unit with 12 points. So yeah, every former Nugget on that team came out like gangbusters to prove I was wrong in trading them.

And maybe I was wrong. We won't know until the end of the season, I suppose. Maybe not even the end of this season.

It looks like the manner in which we lost those two games really has an effect on the team's psyche, because we promptly go out and lose our last two games of the month in a doubleheader. Bad enough by itself, worse when one of them is a 109-96 home loss to the New York Knicks. Mateen Yeaton's 28 points don't make me smile that night, nor do the 12 bench points from the newly returned Mike Miller or the 12 points and 10 assists with the second team by Marcus Williams. As for the 89-78 loss to Portland? At least that was on the road. But even being on the road and watching Mateen Yeaton score 23 and good second team play with 14 points from Mike Miller and 20 rebounds from Phillip Gill can't excuse the fact that we have a four-game losing streak for the first time since I've been in Denver.

Our lead in the Northwest is comfortable despite the run of poor form, as our 31-15 record is good for a five-game advantage on Minnesota and Utah. But the Mavericks are ahead of us by 2 games in the race for the #2 spot in the West and the Lakers still reign supreme with a 38-5 showing. Every team in the Northwest has a winning record, by the way, save for Seattle, who is mired in an 18-26 funk.

The Pacers have been hot lately, hot enough to rocket up to 27-17 and enjoy a 6.5 game lead over the Bucks. That's good enough for the 3rd seed right now as they continue to be the mirror image of us in a lot of ways. Toronto's reasserted themselves as the masters of the East with a 32-14 record, three games ahead of the Celtics. Charlotte's facing a challenge in the Southeast, as they're just 2.5 ahead of the surging Magic.

Given our slump, I don't even want to compare Paulinho Buboltz and Mateen Yeaton right now, but I will.

Buboltz-Yeaton Comparison
Paulinho Buboltz
44 games/39 starts - 15.5 PPG 3.0 RPG 9.8 APG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
Mateen Yeaton
46 games/46 starts - 22.6 PPG 4.8 RPG 2.0 APG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG

Another kicker that I couldn't help but look up--Ben Gordon is averaging 28 points a game, 2nd in the NBA behind King James with 30.6. Mateen's 8th with his 22.6.

[boberot]

I'm actually still chuckling about,

". . . C Narcyz Malinomowski, the great Polish sieve . . ."

[Izulde]

I'm actually still chuckling about,

". . . C Narcyz Malinomowski, the great Polish sieve . . ."

The scary part is, his defense is only below average now. His first couple years in the league, it was so bad, he was easily the worst starting C in the league in terms of defense, maybe even the worst starter regardless of position in the conference on league.

[Izulde]

Chicago Bulls receive
SG Jason Richardson

Golden State Warriors receive
SF Darius Miles
C Samuel Dalembert
Chicago Bulls 2014 2nd round draft pick

What this means for the Bulls
Richardson is an infusion of 16-17 points a game and passable defense. He gives the Bulls what they lacked; a legitimate scorer. His contract is a little steep since he's 32, but he's a major upgrade at the SG spot in the lineup and in the points department.

What this means for the Warriors
Miles is an average all-around player who will get his points as a 6th man because he can play all five positions. He's also an expiring near-$7 million contract and Dalembert's a $6 million expiring contract with solid defense. One has to wonder, though. With the Warriors this bad and their second-leading scorer now gone, can Baron Davis be far behind?

Advantage: Chicago
Richardson's addition could turn the Bulls into a borderline playoff team. The value of the expiring contracts and the throw-in 2nd rounder aren't enough to make up for how much worse Golden State is now.

Houston Rockets receive
PF Ike Diogu
Detroit Pistons 2014 2nd round pick

Detroit Pistons receive
PG George Greene

What this means for the Rockets
Diogu brings discipline, rebounding and even more versatility to an already multiple-looks capable Houston team on the bench. The Rockets have really been struggling this season, so anything they can do to make things more complex for opposing coaches is a good thing.

What this means for the Pistons
The 24 year old Greene is raw, particularly on defense, but the late 1st round pick (1.28 - HOU 2012 draft) has some interesting potential. It's surprising that Houston gave up on the player they saw as the heir apparent to Mike Bibby so soon. There's also Kenny Graham and Rajan Rondo ahead of him in the guard rotation. Still, one can never stockpile too much PG talent.

Advantage: Detroit
Greene is better than Diogu and the 2nd round pick and that's pretty much what this boils down to.

New Orleans Hornets receive
PG Mackel Greenleaf

Dallas Mavericks receive
SG Thabo Sefolosha
New Orleans Hornets 2014 2nd round pick

What this means for the Hornets
Greenleaf is a non-descript 27 year old backup guard and never lived up to the potential first seen in him when he was drafted by the Rockets at 1.29 in the 2009 draft.

What this means for the Mavericks
Sefolosha is a very good defender with some pretty good shooting and scoring instincts. He's also able to play both guard spots and the three and Nuggets GM Jestor will not be happy to see Thabo back in the West Conference, a player he's been known to have a strong liking for. The 2nd round pick is an added bonus.

Advantage: Dallas
We fail to understand why New Orleans even made this trade.

They're right; I -am- ticked at Thabo back in our conference. But there's nothing to be done about it now.

Riding a four game losing streak is never a good thing, but at least it's a new month and with the turning of the calendar page, we have fresh hope that we can snap out of this low spot and get back up top where we belong.

The punchless Warriors are a good place to start and we end the losing run, but I'm not happy about the five point margin of victory (104-99), particularly since it's at home. Still, Kirk Hinrich scores 31, Mateen Yeaton puts up 22 points and takes down 12 rebounds, Patrick Pastner throws in 21 points and Mike Miller leads the reserves with 11 points. A win's a win at this point, I suppose.

A divisional doubleheader follows and we split it. We beat Utah 104-86 in the first game, Emeka Okafor the man of the match with 25 points, 12 rebounds, a block and 4 steals, Mateen Yeaton -just- missing a triple-double with 18 points, 11 assists and 9 rebounds. The Timberwolves stifle us the next night in a 88-72 game, Mateen Yeaton's 20 points the only noteworthy statistic.

Kirk Hinrich and Mike Miller bail us out in the next game with 21 points and 13 bench points respectively in an 86-77 win over the Cavaliers in Cleveland. As long as we can keep bouncing back from losses, I think this team will continue to gel and hopefully have gained some toughness by the end of the regular season that I think it lacks right now.

The Nets beat us 96-89 in the next game as only Mateen Yeaton shows up, finishing with 24 points. As much fun as this team can be to watch at times, it's also proving quite maddening these last couple months.

No problems, though, as we sweep both games of the doubleheader before the All-Star break and go into the vacation period on a high note. Atlanta falls 112-100 as Mateen Yeaton puts on a beautiful game of 40 points, 5 assists, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks and 3 steals and Dan Jacobson assists with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Charlotte bows down 112-103 as Maestro Mateen Yeaton dazzles with 45 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, Dan Jacobson thunders for 28 points, 18 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 blocks before fouling out and Patrick Pastner doubles with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

Our very own Kirk Hinrich is the 2013 3-Point Shootout Champion, which is quite exciting to have happen. It's only the second time in his career he's been in the Long Distance competition and the first time he's won it.

I don't care about the Rookies-Sophs game this year so I skip it.

Two Nuggets get named to the All-Star Game. Mateen Yeaton plays 14 minutes and scores 10 points, while Kirk Hinrich doesn't get in the game, the exact same thing that happens to our old friend Ben Gordon on the East squad. The West prevails 101-95 as MVP Kelvin Moody electrifies with 21 points, 19 rebounds and 3 blocks.

We crush the Celtics 111-78 our first game back, Mateen Yeaton leading the way with 33 points. Kirk Hinrich doubles with 15 points and 13 assists and Marcus Williams and Mike Miller highlight the bench with 15 and 11 points respectively.

So it's trade deadline time and there's the eternal question of whether or not to make a move. All in all, I have to say that we really do look like a pretty solid outfit, though I'm not at all adverse to making a trade.

And so we make one.

Denver Nuggets receive
SG Vince Carter

Detroit Pistons receive
SG Mike Miller
C Brendan Haywood

What this means for the Nuggets
Carter is averaging over 20 points a game this season and shows no signs of slowing down in the scoring department despite being 36 years old. Chances are he'll be a half-season rental for Denver, but that suits the Nuggets and Vince just fine. He takes over as the starting SF, shifting Patrick Pastner to the 6th man role and making Denver that much deeper on the bench. They also now rid themselves of Miller's horrendous contract. The question mark: How will Carter perform in the postseason, who hasn't been in the playoffs in a very long time and not once since GM Jestor entered the league?

What this means for the Pistons
Detroit, if they even make the playoffs at all, will only make it as a low seed and are a likely one and done. While Miller has three years remaining on his contract, he's also appreciably younger at 33. He'll fulfill the same 6th man role for the Pistons that he did for the Nuggets, which may originally make this trade seem quite imbalanced. But then there's the fact that by shipping Carter out, Detroit can now give more minutes to their younger players and help develop them, something the still too-old Pistons need to do if they don't want to fall into becoming one of the league's worst teams over the course of the next few seasons. Haywood is roster filler, though he'll get some small amount of playing time in Detroit, rather than being inactive as he was in Denver.

Advantage: Denver
This is a trade that actually makes sense for both teams, lopsided though it looks at first. But the Nuggets upgrade could conceivably take them back to the Finals, maybe even a title and that, along with the payroll flexibility they've just bought themselves, is worth a lot more than the improved situation for the Pistons.

Nice to know the press agrees it's a good trade.

We celebrate Vince's Denver debut by whomping the Grizzlies 118-96. Kirk Hinrich is the MC with 29 points and 13 assists and Mateen Yeaton (22 points), Emeka Okafor (14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 7 blocks) and Dan Jacobson (13 points, 14 rebounds) are all the life of the party. As for the guest of honor himself, Vince Carter scores 18.

New Orleans is next to go down, 108-99, as Mateen Yeaton scores 26, Kirk Hinrich has 17 points and 12 assists and Patrick Pastner and Marcus Williams hold a bench party of their own with 17 and 14 points a piece.

Our final game of the month is an easy 102-86 victory over the Hawks. Mateen Yeaton scores 25, Kirk Hinrich adds 13 points and 16 assists and our reserves again feature two double-digit scorers in Patrick Pastner (15 points) and Steven Caspers (10 points).

And thus we end the short month as hot as we ended January. As a result of our win streak, we're solidly #2 in the conference at 40-17, well behind the 47-8 Lakers, but enough ahead of the 37-18 Mavericks. We also hold a 7 game edge over the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Memphis is still suprising at 35-22, 3 games behind the Mavericks and Houston's looking more and more like they'll miss the playoffs at 22-35.

In the East, Toronto is the only 40 win team. The closest teams are Boston (36-21) and Indiana (35-21). The Pacers are the only team in the Central above .500 and as a result, have a commanding 8.5 game lead. Ben Gordon is still leading the team with a 26.2 points per game average and I'll reserve commentary on Paulinho Buboltz, save to say that he's now edged his way up to Indiana's second-leading scorer.

The Knicks are 16-41 and they're actually ahead of somebody, the Nets, who are 11-46. Maybe George Karl brought improvement to the Big Apple after all.

Lebron James is the league's top scorer and only 30+ point man at 30.5. Gilbert Arenas is second with 28.6 points, Nigel Abel third with 27.6, followed by Ben Gordon. Mateen Yeaton is sitting 8th with 23.3 points.

Four players in double-digit assist averages: T.J. Ford (11.7), Major Drayton (11.1), and Dwayne Wade and Kirk Hinrich both at 10.4 assists a game. Directly below that batch is Chris Paul and Paulinho Buboltz both averaging 9.8 assists a game.

One of the reasons Houston's struggling so much this year is because Yao Ming isn't even close to being the top rebounder in the league. That distinction belongs to Greg Oden with 14.5 boards a game, followed by Andrew Bynum, Andrew Bogut and Kelvin Moody all averaging 12.2 or 12.1 rebounds. Dan Jacobson is tied for 10th with 10.6.

An impressive three players averaging more than 3 blocks a game: Andrei Kirilenko (3.5), Josh Smith (3.4) and Kelvin Moody (3.2). Emeka Okafor is 15th, averaging 2.3 rejections a game.

Gerald Wallace is the lone thief averaging over 2 steals a game at 2.2. Four players are tied for second with 1.8 steals a game; Lebron James, Caron Butler, Andre Iguodola, and Kevin Martin. Mateen Yeaton is tied for 8th with 1.6.

Buddy Bracey and Charles Seegars are the only first years averaging double-digit scoring at 11.5 and 10.8 points respectively. Branko Starcevic is the clear leader in assists with 4.3, Charles Seegars next closest with 2.9.

Pete Totten is the supreme class rebounder with 8.8 boards a game, Buddy Bracey second with a distant 5.2 rebounds average. No rookies average over a block a game, Charles Seegars the closest with 0.9. On the other hand, 3 rookies are averaging over a steal a game: Pete Totten (1.2), Buddy Bracey (1.1) and Kerwin Haston (1.1).

[Izulde]

Chicago Bulls receive
PG Devin Harris
Dallas Mavericks 2014 2nd round pick

Dallas Mavericks receive
PF Josh McRoberts

What this means for the Bulls
Harris is a very good pass-first PG but he doesn't improve the Bulls all that much, not when they have Javaris Crittenton on the bench. A puzzling trade from that standpoint and the 2nd rounder is going to be pretty low.

What this means for the Mavericks
McRoberts was taken with the 16th pick of the draft in 2007 and has been an end of the bench player with the Bulls ever since. While he'll be a mid-bench man in Dallas, he's extremely mediocre.

Advantage: Chicago
This isn't really a good deal for either team, but Chicago does improve because of it, whereas the Mavericks actually get worse, because while Dallas's 1st round pick last year, Jamar Barnes, has some intriguing offense-running skills, he's a huge downgrade on defense from Harris.

Indiana Pacers receive
PF Cedric Simmons

New Orleans Hornets receive
PF Sean Bergmann
C David Harrison

What this means for the Pacers
Simmons is a much more polished version of Leroy Wright and in consequence, he steps in as the starting C. While he may be undersized, Simmons is the best player the Pacers have had at the position in a very long time, which doesn't say much, but upgrade is still upgrade.

What this means for the Hornets
The season's already long since lost for New Orleans, so this is about clearing the way for rebuilding. Harrison's an expiring $3.8 million contract and the 24 year old 2nd year Bergmann, taken with the 19th pick last year, is a young body with defensive skills. However, it's a worrying sign that he's on the inactive list for one of the worst teams in the league.

Advantage: Indiana
The Pacers didn't give up much at all to address their biggest void and the Hornets only gained marginal cap flexibility.

Toronto Raptors receive
PF James Augustine

Philadelphia 76ers receive
PG Darius Washington

What this means for the Raptors
At first glance, this is a headscratcher for Toronto, getting yet another front-court player, particular one as average as Augustine. But Chris Bosh is out with a broken elbow, so the Raptors felt they needed to get some depth and the 29 year old is a nice pickup in that regard. Doesn't do anything exceptionally well, doesn't do anything poorly either.

What this means for the 76ers
Washington has some excellent shooting skills and decent scoring instincts, but that's about it. Philadelphia also has a glut of guards on the roster and while Manu Ginobli and Steve Francis are 36, Washington's contract expires at the end of this year. Were he on a multi-year deal, this trade would make a lot more sense.

Advantage: Toronto
Timely filling of an emergency situation by the Raptors here and the 76ers just threw in another body in a position group they were already stacked in.

Never good to hear that the defending champions have shrewdly plugged a hole that springs up, but at least they didn't go out and get a great rental like we did.

Our first game in March is another hotly hyped matchup with the Pacers. We were embarassed last time and I'm hoping that motivates us to do much better this go round. We do, but we still lose 103-96 despite Mateen Yeaton's 22 points and 10 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich's 21 points and 12 assists. Ben Gordon bombed us for 27 points and new addition Cedric Simmons was everywhere, fashioning the impressive line of 15 points, 24 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and a steal in taking home Player of the Game.

Vince Carter has his best game since joining us with 31 points against the Clippers as we thump the Red and White 110-98. Dan Jacobson gets 14 points and 15 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton contributes 14 points and 10 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich completes the team tripling of doubles with a pair of 13s, in points and assists. Phillip Gill is top man off the bench with 11 points.

An excellent balanced offense, keyed by Mateen Yeaton's 32 points gives us a 110-103 victory over the Trailblazers. Dan Jacobson adds 21 points and 11 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich 12 points and 20 assists. Jacobson isn't quite having the explosive season I thought he might, and in fact his points per game are down about a point from last year with our additional firepower, but he's also averaging double-digit rebounds for the first time in his career.

The win streak continues with a sweep of the next pair, a back-to-back against San Antonio and Phoenix. We wallop the Spurs 112-94 in San Antonio without anybody on our team scoring 20 points, making it a doubly impressive victory. Dan Jacobson and Kirk Hinrich double-double with 12 points, 11 rebounds and 19 points, 12 assists respectively and Marcus Williams and Patrick Pastner both added 14 points from the bench. No such balance occurs against the Suns, where Mateen Yeaton singlehandedly gives us the 97-83 victory with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks in the only noteworthy performance of our players.

Charlotte's been known for their defense, but it doesn't hold up against us as we crush them 112-98. Mateen Yeaton leads the way with 33 points, Kirk Hinrich has his umpteenth straight double-double with 14 points and 12 assists and Patrick Pastner leads the reserve charge with 16 points.

Another game against the Clippers, another resounding Nuggets victory, this one 112-81. Mateen Yeaton scores 34, Emeka Okafor wakes up on offense with 23 points and Dan Jacobson (12 points, 14 rebounds) and Kirk Hinrich (10 points, 15 assists) supply us with double-doubles.

Kirk Hinrich's double-double streak just narrowly comes to an end with 11 points and 9 assists, but Mateen Yeaton continues his 30+ point scoring streak with 33, Dan Jacobson scores 24 and Patrick Pastner powers the reserves with 13 points as we roll over Milwaukee 110-99.

Fascinating game against the Wizards (we won 109-80). Every single Washington player was held below double-digits, except for Gilbert Arenas, who was a one-man tour de force, finishing with 47 points. We countered them easily with a balanced offense, highlighted by 30 points from Vince Carter and 10 bench points from Patrick Pastner. Mateen Yeaton's hot streak ended with 19 points on the night.

We're so dominant and so on fire right now, even the Lakers can't beat us. The surprisingly easily 107-86 victory is keyed by six Nuggets scoring double-digits, the most notable performances coming from Kirk Hinrich with 20 points and 10 assists and Marcus Williams with 10 points off the bench. Williams has really been a pleasant surprise from the Great Trade. Although his numbers aren't eye-popping by any means, he does extremely well with the minutes he's given.

I've lost track of how long this winning streak has run as we top the Kings 93-77, Mateen Yeaton the kingslayer with 31 points and 10 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich his helper with 10 points and 10 assists, Patrick Pastner another tenner with 10 bench points. I just know this torrid pace has been damned enjoyable to go through and I'm going to soak up every single minute of it.

And of course that's right when the joy ends and we completely forget how to play defense in losing 105-94 to the lowly fallen Suns. Ah well, at least it was on the road. Vince Carter scored 27 and Dan Jacobson had 11 points and 14 rebounds, but that was about it.

It's only when we lose badly, 110-99 to the Jazz in Utah the next game that I start worrying we're going to drop into an equally impressive swoon. Vince Carter scored 25 and all five starters broke double-digit points, but our defense is continuing to suddenly disappear.

The losing streak stretches to three with a 79-71 loss to the Spurs that was just plain ugly, with 33% shooting on both sides. Dan Jacobson did double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, though and even better, we break the cold snap the next night in a 121-110 triumph over Portland. Vince Carter scores 30, Mateen Yeaton scores 22, Kirk Hinrich really leads the offense with 24 points and 16 assists, Dan Jacobson throws in 11 points and 13 rebounds and Phillip Gill leads the second unit with 12 points.

So with 10 games left in the season, we've all but mathematically clinched the Northwest with a 9.5 game lead over the Timberwolves. At 51-21, we're not likely to catch the 57-15 Lakers for the top seed in the conference. As it is, we need to be more concerned about Dallas, as the Mavericks, even minus Devin Harris, are somehow 50-22 and right on our tails for the #2 seed.

Interesting stat: As of April 1st, all of the second-place teams in the West Conference divisons have 42 wins and two of the three third-place teams have 40 wins (Phoenix, which has really risen again, has 39 wins at 3rd in the Pacific).

Out in the East, it's a fairly safe bet to say the Raptors are going to have the top seed with 51-21, as the Bobcats and Pacers are quite a few games off the pace at 46-26 and 45-26 respectively. That said, Indiana's in an intriguing mirror race for their own conference's second seed. And so the fates of Mateen Yeaton and Paulinho Buboltz continue to intertwine...

Speaking of which...

Yeaton/Buboltz Comparison

Mateen Yeaton
72 games/72 starts - 23.3 PPG 5.3 RPG 2.3 APG 1.9 BPG 1.6 SPG

Paulinho Buboltz
71 games/66 starts - 16.6 PPG 2.9 RPG 9.5 APG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG

A couple notes here:

Buboltz is still the second-leading scorer for Indiana, with an identical point total to last month when I forgot to post the comparison.

The 9.5 assists naturally leads the Pacers, but in counterpoint, Kirk Hinrich is averaging 10.7 assists for us, along with 15 points on the nose.

[Izulde]

It may only be April, but things are definitely heating up as we go through these final ten games of the regular season. The #2 seed in the playoffs is at stake, something we really want so we can avoid playing the Lakers until the Conference Finals.

Unfortunately, things don't go as planned as we start off by losing both games of a back-to-back. Memphis beats us 98-91, even though Mateen Yeaton scores 37, Kirk Hinrich gets 22 points and 16 assists and Dan Jacobson plays well with 12 points and 22 rebounds. What -really- irks me is when the lowly Hornets top us 104-96, ruining 20 and 22 points a piece from Vince Carter and Emeka Okafor, 10 points and 15 assists from Kirk Hinrich and 12 bench points from Patrick Pastner.

I damn near shatter the glass table in front of me, slamming my fist in frustration when the Timberwolves nip us 89-87 as Vince Carter's 30 points as the starting SG go to waste, Patrick Pastner shooting a horrendus 2 for 11 in his first game in forever as a starter. Phillip Gill just missed a bench double-double with 9 points and 14 rebounds. The slump finally ends the next night in a 30 point trouncing of the Supersonics (115-85) as Mateen Yeaton lights up Seattle for 34 points and Steven Caspers has 10 points to lead the reserves.

A 106-80 savaging of Golden State draws us to 2-3 as Mateen Yeaton erupts for 34 points, Kirk Hinrich garners 22 points and 11 assists and Patrick Pastner finally has a decent start at SF with 18 points and 10 rebounds while Larry Brown limits Vince Carter's minutes as a precaution against Carter's sprained wrist.

I wish I knew what the hell it was about this New Orleans team, but they smack us around again, 108-88, in Denver no less. We had some good performances but I'm too irate to bother noting them. 20 point loss to the freaking Hornets at home. Unbelievable.

We finally drag ourselves back to the .500 mark with a 4-4 record following a sweep of the doubleheader. Memphis is the victim of our vengeful and free-spirited scoring as we gain revenge in a 112-94 victory. Vince Carter scores 22, Kirk Hinrich is the man of the hour with 20 points and 13 assists and Dan Jacobson double-doubles with 14 points and 12 rebounds. We narrowly beat the Rockets 94-85 as Kirk Hinrich is our savior with 19 points and 11 assists and Dan Jacobson contributes 10 points and 14 rebounds.

At this point, all I'm hoping for is a split in the season-concluding back-to-back to finish .500 in the final ten games and that's exactly what we get. We set the Suns 113-93 on the strength of Kirk Hinrich's 33 points and 11 bench points from Marcus Williams, but lose 106-84 to Portland as a souring season finale. In a perverse mirror of the Washington game where every Wizard was held below double-digits except Gilbert Arenas, so too does it go here, with Mateen Yeaton the lone valiant, scoring 37.

Needless to say, we lose the race for second place. But what's really infuriating is that the bastard Mavericks did -just- well enough, finishing 57-25 to our 56-26.

West Conference Seeds
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
5. Memphis Grizzlies
6. San Antonio Spurs
7. Utah Jazz
8. Sacramento Kings

East Conference Seeds
1. Toronto Raptors
2. Indiana Pacers
3. Charlotte Bobcats
4. Boston Celtics
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Philadelphia 76ers
7. Milwaukee Bucks
8. Orlando Magic

...Great. So not only do we lose the #2 seed, we play against a team that can definitely beat us in the Spurs. Want more salt in the wound? See that #2 seed for Indiana and the favorable matchup against the wretched Bucks.

Honestly, I've got a bad feeling about this playoffs. As much as I like this Nuggets outfit, it's way too bipolar in its performance for me to hold out much hope this year.

But who knows? Miracles happen, right?

[Izulde]

This is what we've been working for all season long; getting back to the playoffs to make a run for the title. Of course, getting to the postseason has become expected of the Nuggets, who have won every single Northwest Division title since I joined the league except one (2009) and have never missed the playoffs.

I suppose there's something to be said for my maintaining the continuity, years after the days of AI, Carmelo and Camby in Denver are gone.

But none of that matters as far as I'm concerned if we don't bring a championship back to Denver at some point during my tenure here.

I'll go with the standard preview from the usual mag.

"...The nearly-completely new Nuggets have their highest seeding in years and there's reason to believe that this might finally be the year for GM Jestor and his Denver boys. But by the same token, this team has seen its periods of drought, funks in which they couldn't even beat the New York Knicks, let alone the league's top teams they'll be facing in the playoffs.

This, too, is an interesting Spurs team, the days of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker long gone, creating a San Antonio franchise that is engaged in something of an identity quest of its own.

Point Guard
What an absolute godsend Kirk Hinrich has been for Denver this season. He runs the Nuggets offense far more efficiently than the ballyhooed Paulinho Buboltz did and he's also one of the team's most consistent players, averaging 15.2 points and 10.7 assists in the regular season. There's some questions about whether he'll stay in Denver, as his contract is too lengthy and too rich for the front office's liking, but he's a pure textbook passer with good shooting when he needs to and some excellent defense.

Julian Wright was trapped on the Hawks bench until Atlanta traded him to San Antonio early on in the 2010 season and he's been a starter ever since, albeit at SF, his natural position, prior to this year. He's definitely looked out of place at the point and is the weak link in the Spurs chain. On the other hand, he plays very good defense.

Advantage: Nuggets

Shooting Guard
One thing that hasn't changed for Denver is the fact of an explosive, high-scoring SG, although this year it's not Ben Gordon, but Mateen Yeaton, the focal point of the blockbuster draft-day trade that resulted in wholesale changes to both Indiana and Denver. Yeaton's a huge SG at 6'8, 207 lbs and his size is a large part of how he muscled his way to averaging 1.8 blocks a game, along with a surprisingly high 5.2 rebounds. Throw in better than expected defense due to his stealing skills and of course, the scoring of 23.3 points a game and you have a player who's arguably the best-all around Nugget. The only problem is that he can be as inconsistent as Hinrich is consistent and if Yeaton gets cold, there could be trouble for Denver.

6'7, 237 lbs gives Joe Johnson and the Spurs the size needed to put a lid on Yeaton and Johnson's a much more naturally gifted defender than Yeaton is, with exceptional passing skills for a SG. While not even close to the shotblocker of the Nuggets' superstar, Johnson has comparable shooting skills, evidenced by his 21.7 points per game average. This matchup of titans, one young, the other veteran, will go a long way to determining the outcome of this series.

Advantage: Draw

Small Forward
This position's split between Patrick Pastner, another part of the Indiana/Denver deal who has very good consistency, adequate defense and well-balanced shooting abilities the like of which haven't been seen in Denver since Carmelo Anthony at SF and Vince Carter, the still-effective 36 year old picked up at the deadline from the Detroit Pistons. Pastner gives the Nuggets better rebounding and defense, while Carter is more of an adrenaline boost on offense.

No such two-headed hydra exists in San Antonio, where 36 year old free agent pickup Paul Pierce is the clear starter at SF. Pierce is having his worst season in years, averaging just 17.4 points a game, but don't let that fool you into thinking he's done, because he's still a beautiful shooter who uses his veteran savvy and intelligence to decimate less aware opponents. He's also a proven clutch commodity in the playoffs, something that neither Pastner, who's averaged a modest 12 points a game in every postseason he's been in, nor Carter, who hasn't seen the playoffs in years, are.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor is what he is, year in and year out: A phenomenal defender and shotblocker good for, on season's balance, 10-11 points, a shade below 8 rebounds and over 2 blocks a game. Like Hinrich, Okafor has a brutal contract that could see him get moved sometime in the near future, but for now, he's the Nuggets' blue-collar, unsung hero.

Shawne Williams is by and large a completely average player, though he does have an impressive inside shot. He averaged career highs of 12 points and 7.2 rebounds this year, his first as a full-time starter, but the general consensus is that he's going to get eaten alive against Okafor.

Advantage: Nuggets

Center
For the first time in his career, Dan Jacobson averaged a double-double with 10.7 points and 10.3 rebounds in this, his fourth season, after narrowly missing the mark the previous years. Jacobson is huge at 7'5, 290 lbs and a mammoth defensive presence. Although his scoring average doesn't show it, he made great strides this year in his offensive game. The biggest question mark is how he's going to hold up in the glare of the playoffs. He was horrible in 2010 with the Wizards and nondescript last year. Can this finally be his breakthrough postseason?

Hilton Armstrong is a much smaller (6'11, 235 lbs), much more diluted version of Jacobson, even though his 8.9 points and 10 rebounds suggests a closer affinity than their talent levels indicate. He's also been even worse in the playoffs than Jacobson's been, making this position battle an emphatic advantage for Denver.

Advantage: Nuggets

Bench
Whichever one of Patrick Pastner or Vince Carter is the 6th man gives something the previous Nuggets teams lost after Chauncey Billups departed the team: a genuine offensive threat. The Nuggets front office is extremely high on 21 year old 3rd year big man Phillip Gill, though his discomfort with handling the ball will likely prevent him from ever being an elite center. Marcus Williams is a pass-first PG, another one of the Great Trade pieces, who quietly rose as the season went on to become one of Denver's key reserves. Steven Caspers is the defensive stopper, one who can surprise with the occasional outburst of points.

Tyrone Dotson, taken at 1.15 by the Wizards in the same draft that Gill went 1.10 to the Pacers, is, like Gill, a high-ceiling guy his front office raves about. Unlike Gill, he's much more polished and has been a very nice all-around 6th man and a free agent steal by the Spurs, one who should get much more than the pedestrian one-year deal the promising young forward signed the past offseason. Quincy Douby, imported via free agency from the defending champion Raptors, is a jolt of offense off the bench and Paul Millsap provides the rebounding boost, something that Denver doesn't have. However, in counterpoint, the Spurs don't have a pure passer, nor do they have a defensive stopper.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
On paper, this should be a blowout for Denver, possibly even a sweep. However, given the mercurial nature of this Nuggets squad, such lofty expectations should not be gambled on. Far more likely is that Denver pulls out the win, but will struggle some in getting it.
Prediction: Nuggets in 6

Heh. At least they're predicting us to win.

Game One
High-energy atmosphere. Opening playoff game at home, the whole works. Should be a nice game, right? Kirk Hinrich scores 26, Dan Jacobson puts up 16 points and 13 rebounds, Emeka Okafor 10 points and 11 rebounds. We also hold Shawne Williams to 0 points and Hilton Armstrong to 2 points. So you're thinking we won big, right? Wrong. Paul Pierce rips us apart for 26 points, the same amount Joe Johnson hits us for and their bench makes up for the suckiness of their starters, as Tyrone Dotson scores 15 and Quincy Douby, the most maddeningly clutch player I've ever had the misfortune to watch, adds 11 points for the Spurs and so San Antonio steals away the win.
Final: San Antonio 96 Denver 89

Game Two
We were pissed about the opening game and Larry Brown reminded our boys to take care of the fundamentals and everything else will fall into place against a team we should be owning. So what do we do? We go out and crush them with hard-nosed defense, frustrating them all night long. The offense is taken care of by Kirk Hinrich with 22 points, 12 assists, 8 rebounds and a steal and Dan Jacobson continues to show improved postseason play with 13 points and 11 rebounds. We definitely needed this victory and we got it convicingly.
Final: San Antonio 73 Denver 95

Game Three
This, in my opinion, is one of the most critical contests of the series, as it's in San Antonio and a win for us here would be a huge differencemaker in momentum. Joe Johnson sends my stomach churning when he blitzes us for 36 points and Shawne Williams narrowly misses a double-double with 19 points and 9 rebounds. But Dan Jacobson betters Williams with 21 points and 9 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich scores 22, Patrick Pastner continues to look more comfortable every game, scoring 20 in this one and our own bench comes through this game as Marcus Williams scores 14 and Phillip Gill yanks down 10 boards to secure the crucial win.
Final: Denver 105 San Antonio 98

Game Four
Win here and we've got them on the ropes. Lose and it's back into the dogfight. Mateen Yeaton finally awakens with 24 points, just missing the double-double with 9 rebounds. Patrick Pastner is fully warmed up now and scores 22. Kirk Hinrich plays floor general well with 17 points and 13 assists and Dan Jacobson is definitely looking like a new playoff man this series with 15 points and 11 rebounds. The Spurs just can't answer us as Joe Johnson has a horrific 5-for-23 night and their best players are Shawne Williams with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Paul Millsap with 13 points. I still plan to go get Tyrone Dotson in the offseason, though.
Final - Denver 101 San Antonio 89

Toronto swept the Magic and every other series is at 3-1, including some shocking potential upsets that I won't report on at the risk of being a spoiler and a jinx. I'll jot them down if and when they occur.

Game Five
I'd love to just win the series right here at home and put the Spurs away. But it looks like we left our hearts in San Antonio as we shoot an ugly 39.8% as a team, Emeka Okafor perversely choosing this game to be our lone highlight with 17 points and 16 rebounds. On the Spurs end, Shawne Williams keeps his nice series going with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Hilton Armstrong of all people is Player of the Game with 14 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks. Yeah, it was that kind of game. Quincy Douby continues to be the Robert Horry of this generation with 11 bench points. Damned disgusting loss.
Final - San Antonio 92 Denver 80

Just two of the series were completed after Game 5 with favorites winning in both. Dallas earned a date with either us or San Antonio in the next round by beating Utah and much to my disgruntlement, the Pacers knock off Milwaukee to advance as well.

Game Six
Now that we know our opponent, we -have- to win. I don't want us drained after a seven-game marathon against the relatively refreshed Mavericks. It's another scrappy, knock-down battle in San Antonio. Joe Johnson scores 21 to lead both teams, Hilton Armstrong gets 12 points and 14 boards and Quincy Douby plays the little reserve dagger role again with 13 bench points. Mateen Yeaton out and out stinks up the joint with a 3-of-13 night and I'm sweating it out, but Vince Carter, fully healed and starting again at SF, leads the team with 18 points, Kirk Hinrich just misses a double-double with 12 points and 9 assists and Patrick Pastner adds 12 points back in his 6th man role. But the real hero of the game and its official award-winner is the man who has made this series his own personal redemption story. Dan Jacobson wins Player of the Game with 13 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 blocks and 2 steals and we win too, gaining a measure of redemption for ourselves as a team.
Final: Denver 91 San Antonio 81

I'll admit, I'm more relieved than ecstatic at winning the opening round. The matchup will be a lot tougher in the next round against Jonte Jones and that whole Dallas crew, but maybe we can pull it off.

Miracles do happen, after all.

Such as the Grizzlies upsetting the Timberwolves in six games.

And the 76ers stunning perennial playoff powerhouse Charlotte in six as well.

And the greatest miracle of all.

(8) Sacramento 4
(1) L.A. Lakers 2

[Izulde]

The Celtics beat the Pistons in Game 7 in the only first round series to go the distance, making the path for the Toronto Raptors considerably easier in the second round.

But I can't be worried about what's going on in the East because we've got a tough matchup on our hands in the second round against Dallas. It used to be that the Mavericks were one of the easier opponents for us, but that was before Jonte Jones developed into one of the top three best centers in the league.

Let's take a look at the tale of the tape.

"...Denver again advances to the second round, but there's still lingering questions about the Nuggets' consistency, questions that will have to be answered satisfactorily if they want to get past Dallas.

Point Guard
Kirk Hinrich won a ring with the Bulls in 2009 and that playoff experience showed in Round 1, where he led Denver in points and assists with 17.5 and 9.3 respectively. He was also tops on the team in steals with 1.7 and his reputation as the most consistent, steady Nugget who's the perfect fit for Denver's offense continutes to grow.

At 36 years old, Jason Terry is a faded player, but still a fairly good one, averaging 13.6 points and 7.6 assists in the first round. His defense is passable, his ballhandling skills average for a PG, but Dallas is going to miss Devin Harris and regret having traded him away at more than one point in this series.

Advantage: Nuggets

Shooting Guard
One of the most impressive things about Denver's opening round over San Antonio was that they did it despite Mateen Yeaton shooting a simply shocking 36.7% from the floor. While Yeaton made up for his offensive woes somewhat with 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.8 blocks a game, he needs to get untracked against the Mavericks or the Nuggets are going home.

Unfortunately for Nuggets fans, Josh Howard has the defensive stopper ability that Joe Johnson did last round for the Spurs and he also has the size to counterbalance Yeaton. While Howard isn't the megastar that Yeaton has acquired the title of, he's outplaying Yeaton on the offensive end in the playoffs, averaging 15.6 points on 51.2% shooting in the first round.

Advantage: Draw

Small Forward
Starting Vince Carter may come back to haunt Larry Brown, as Carter, while an accomplished shooter, doesn't have the defensive game needed to combat his studly opponent. Worse still, at 6'6, 225 lbs, the 36 year old gives up a ton of size and will likely be abused all series long. Patrick Pastner, who is much bigger and better defensively should be starting.

Go ahead. Try to say he's too old and that his game is on the decline. The fact of the matter is, Dirk Nowitzki hasn't let being 35 bother him one bit and he has the 20.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in Round 1 of the playoffs to prove it. 7', 245 lbs, he's one tall glass of water who's going to be in Carter's face every single game of this series and be a major benefit to Dallas.

Advantage: Mavericks

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor is having a quietly successful postseason, averaging 10.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, a steal and 2.3 blocks. He'll have his usual workmanlike solid statistics in this round, while making his presence felt most greatly on the defensive end of the floor.

Daniel Wilder keeps improving every year, but the 23 year old, now in his 5th season, is still no match for Okafor, as his 8 points and 5.8 rebounds from the first round illustrates. Overall though, this position battle is not considered one of the major matchups of this series.

Advantage: Nuggets

Center
Dan Jacobson really blossomed in the first round, shedding his reputation as a playoff pansy with an average of 15 points and 10 rebounds on the nose against San Antonio. Of course, it must be noted that he was abusing a much smaller, much less talented player in Hilton Armstrong.

Jonte Jones looked MVP-like against Utah, putting up 22 points, 15.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals and 1.4 blocks a game against the Jazz. As much as Jacobson's improved, he's still light years behind Jones, who should be All-NBA this year again and who, scarily for the other teams in the league, still has some growth potential.

Advantage: Mavericks

Bench
Patrick Pastner should be starting at SF and even though he wasn't in the first five in the last game of the San Antonio series, he still averaged 15.2 points and 1.3 steals. He'll be a matchup nightmare for the Mavericks coming off the bench. Marcus Williams was a notable presence as well in the opening round and Phillip Gill is averaging 5 points per game in just over 11 minutes, compared to 5.6 points a game in 24 minutes per contest last year for Indiana.

Second year guard Jamar Barnes averaged 8.8 points versus Utah, F/C Mike Patterson 7.6. Jeff Green is always a solid all-around bench player, but the boneheaded move that Dallas is making is that they're giving defensive stopper Thabo Sefolosha just 7.6 minutes per game and they need to amp up his time against the firepower-leaden Mavericks.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
Tough luck for the Nuggets, who simply looked outclassed here. Even at PG and PF, where they hold the edge, the magnitude isn't nearly as great as the other positions and Jonte Jones will make this series his own personal house party, much as he did last year. Denver's only hope is if Mateen Yeaton breaks his shooting slump.
Prediction: Dallas in 5

Thanks for the vote of confidence, guys. Although I have to privately admit, I wonder myself if we've got the ability to beat the Mavericks. They do match up aggravatingly well against us...

Game One
A nightmare. That's the only way to describe this game as Dirk Nowitzki goes gangbusters for 34 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block, Jason Terry scores 21 and Jonte Jones hits us for 20 points and 10 rebounds. On our end, Dan Jacobson had 14 points and 12 rebounds, Kirk Hinrich 19 points and 13 assists, and Patrick Pastner led the reserves with 10 points, but this was an out and out asskicking. Not a good start at all.
Final - Denver 97 Dallas 115

Game Two
We go in the lockerroom down 50-39 at the end of the first half and I'm anticipating another soul-crushing blowout defeat, but then we come out hot and don't stop, scorching them 70-53 in the second half to snatch a -huge- victory. Vince Carter finishes with 24 points, Emeka Okafor gets 10 points and 12 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton scrapes out 22 points, Kirk Hinrich mirrors Okafor's double-double with 12 points and 10 assists and Patrick Pastner continues to be our saving bench grace with 15 points. Dirk Nowitzki is having one hell of a series, as he supersedes Game 1 with 41 points here and Jonte Jones does better as well, with 25 points and 12 rebounds. But Jason Terry is held to the poor man's double of 10 points and 10 assists and the rest of the Mavericks just fall apart down the stretch.
Final - Denver 109 Dallas 103

Game Three
Can we ride the Big Mo shift and the return home to seize the series lead? Mateen Yeaton electrifies the home crowd with 29 points, Kirk Hinrich dishes out 10 points and 18 assists and Patrick Pastner scores 14 off the bench. But all five Mavericks starters score double-digits, led by the unreal Jonte Jones with 28 points, 16 rebounds, assist, 3 blocks and 2 steals and we're left staring down the business end of a heartbreaking, loaded gun in a crushing loss.
Final - Dallas 113 Denver 100

Game Four
I'm scared to even watch this game and I have to take three Prilosec throughout the day to try and calm the acid reflux raging in my stomach and throat. The pills help, but not as much as seeing us shoot nearly 60% from the field (59.5%), led by Kirk Hinrich with a devastating 34 points and 16 assists, Mateen Yeaton his second with 26 points, Emeka Okafor a doubler with 16 points and 10 rebounds and Phillip Gill coming through with 13 bench points. That's not to say Dallas didn't try their damndest. Dirk Nowitzki continued his amazing series with 31 points, Jonte Jones scored 21 and the Mavericks bench played brilliantly, with 20 points from Jamar Barnes and 12 rebounds from Josh McRoberts, but in the end we even up the series, helped by a torrid 42-30 2nd quarter to punch Dallas in the mouth before the half. It's a bloody series, oh yes.
Final - Dallas 108 Denver 116

Much to my chagrin, the only sweep in the second round is Indiana knocking out the 76ers. The Pacers are looking very crisp, Ben Gordon leading the team with 20.6 points, Paulinho Buboltz averaging a surprising double-double of 13.7 points and 10 assists and they've got just incredible offensive balance all around. The real kick in the teeth is that Joakim Noah is the starting C now and he's averaging 7.8 points and 9.8 rebounds thus far in the postseason.

Every other series is knotted up at two a piece, making Indiana's success all the more striking.

Game Five
It goes without saying that this is the most important game in the series. The winner shoves the loser to the brink of elimination. We need to steal another win in Dallas. That's all there is to it. So what do we do? Go out and play the worst damned game I've ever seen any team play in any playoff game anywhere. Patrick Pastner was the only Nugget ready to play, finishing with 13 points and 11 rebounds off the bench. Jonte Jones rapes us for 38 points, 16 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals. A god-damned near triple-double! It was a magnificient performance, one for the ages and we had to swallow every last bitter drop of it and Dirk Nowitzki's insult-to-injury 20 points.
Final - Denver 77 Dallas 105

Game Six
Miracles happen, right? It's a very faint belief, threadbare by this point, but it's all I have left. All -we- have left. And what happens? We follow up our worst game of the series with our best, Kirk Hinrich again coming through with 30 points just when we need it most. Mateen Yeaton scores 25 and Patrick Pastner is absolutely masterful in hitting the exact same 25 points off the bench. It was inspiring, almost as inspiring as limiting Jonte Jones to 15 points and 21 rebounds. Jason Terry scored 21 and Jamar Barnes added 14 points off the bench, but we force our way to a deciding Game 7!!!
Final Dallas 99 Denver 110

It's thrilling second-round action all around, as every other series save Indiana/Philadelphia goes to the ultimate limit as well. The papers and the Internet are alive with chatter that this might be the most exciting round of playoff basketball in NBA history.

Oh please oh please, let us beat Dallas....

Game Seven
My stomach was jumpy before Game 4. It ceases to function entirely before this game, to where I can't even eat. I just drink water. Lots of it. Because I'm sweating profusely from the tension. It's a frenzied crowd in Dallas, who want to see their team have their own breakthrough in going to the Conference Finals, while we're trying to pull off the miracle in hostile territory. We pour it all out on the court, leaving every last bit of energy we have out there. Mateen Yeaton scores 23 to lead all scorers, Emeka Okafor plays well with 12 points and 17 rebounds and Patrick Pastner again rises to the occasion with 16 points to lead the reserves. Daniel Wilder counters with 13 points and 11 assists for Dallas, Jonte Jones chimes in with 18 points and 10 rebounds, Jeff Green the top benchman with 10 points. It's a game that's neck-and-neck, but Kirk Hinrich, the one whose clutch shooting has gotten us so far, fails on the one night we needed him most, finishing just 1 for 8. With his collapse, so too our dreams of championship glory fade away into the night, while delerium reigns in the stands.
Final - Denver 88 Dallas 93

Misery has a lot of company tonight as millions of people sit home heartbroken in Denver and in Sacramento, where the headiness of shocking the Lakers evaporates in the bitterness of a Game 7 loss to Memphis.

But nowhere is the pain greater than in Canada, where the mighty Raptors, the defending champions who looked poised to become the first repeat champions since I entered the league, are shocked by the Celtics 111-109 in Toronto. A two-point game. One single stinking bucket in a game that saw 23 lead changes and 12 ties.

I feel their agony. Defeat is hell.

[rjolley]

Still enjoying the dynasty. If I wasn't enjoying NBA2K8 and CH2K8, I'd buy DDS: PB for my basketball sim kick...still might.

[boberot]

Brutal, man.

It's funny how you start to develop that sense of dread when you know you're overmatched going into a playoff series.

Keep your chin up.

[Autumn]

Tough loss, so very close. It seems that Yeaton was not the gamebreaker in the playoffs that you needed, but everyone else on the team seemed to produce 200%. That's good for you going forward.

That Knicks owner can't have any doubt at this point about where he went wrong.

[Izulde]

rjolley: The TPB/DDS:PB series is probably the most addicting text-sim series ever for me. Can't explain why, it just is. :) Glad to hear you're still enjoying it.

boberot: Thanks. :) I'd forgotten until I was scanning over it that the Mavericks made the Finals last year and that we'd gotten swept by them. I think it goes to show just how much we improved that we were able to take Dallas to 7 games. Also, at this point, I'm about ready to say that Jonte Jones is this generation's Shaq in terms of dominance.

Autumn: Excellent points and although I didn't mention it, Yeaton had some minor injuries in the playoffs that I think impacted his play a little bit, in addition to having quality defenders covering him in both series. I know he's capable of more; it just remains to be seen if he can finally break through that ceiling over the course of the next several seasons. I do think we'll be in very good shape next year as I think Patrick Pastner is a better player at SF overall than Vince Carter, who we're obviously not going to re-sign.

I'd say I feel sorry for the Knicks, but I don't. :D I -do- feel sorry for Knicks fans, though. I'm sure they're looking at the success we're having here in Denver and thinking the What If game to themselves.

[Izulde]

The ache is still there as I ponder what might have been while watching the surreal conference finals that see stunning upsets. Memphis and Boston both down Dallas and Indiana in six games, the Grizzlies victory all the more impressive as they fought back from a 2-0 hole.

And so we have the most unlikeliest of NBA Finals; the restored-to-glory Celtics and the newly arisen Grizz.

Point Guard
Chris Gearheart has turned these playoffs into his coming out party. After three regular seasons of 15-16 points a game average, he's broken out and led the Grizzlies with 18.2 points and 7.6 assists in the playoffs and are a major reason why Memphis is in the Finals. He may not have the glitzy numbers of some of the league's other young stars, but he's only 21.

Delonte West has been the C's starting PG for as long as I've been in the league, even though he's really not that good, very ordinary in all areas in fact.. He's averaging 13.8 points and 6.6 assists in the playoffs and I have a feeling Gearheart is going to eat him alive.

Advantage: Memphis

Shooting Guard
Durko Jagr made noticeable strides in his offensive game in this, his third season, and the Croatian still has some potential to develop into a sharpshooter. Good all-around numbers in the playoffs as well, with 13.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Raise your hand if you thought Jamal Crawford would end up the starting SG on an NBA Finals team. I didn't think so. Still, for the past 3 seasons, he's been Boston's starting SG, consistently averaging between 12-13 points a game. He's averaging 12.4 in the playoffs so far, but has no other noteworthy statistics.

Advantage: Memphis

Small Forward
Rudy Gay is an excellent defender with considerable scoring touch (18 points a game in the regular season, 17 in the playoffs). He's also averaging just shy of 7 rebounds in the postseason and while by no means an elite-level player, he's the kind of very good all-around second-tier star type of player that no one team with championship aspirations can do without.

Gerald Green just keeps getting better and better at shooting as the years go by. He averaged a career high 17 points in the regular season and with his 21.2 points per game last playoffs and 17.9 this postseason, he's developing a reputation as a clutch scorer. That being said, he doesn't offer anywhere close to the rebounding or defensive talents that Gay does.

Advantage: Memphis

Power Forward
Pau Gasol is having the worst statistical season of his career. He averaged just 16.3 points a game in the regular season and just 16.7 points in the playoffs. However he's made up for his postseason scoring lack with a career high 8.8 rebounds a game in this playoffs. While he may have lost of some of his shooting touch, he's still a terrific rebounder and his size creates mismatch problems.

There's no question that the heart and soul of the Celtics is Al Jefferson, who has averaged just shy of 20 points, 8-9 rebounds and 2 blocks a game the last three years. He's been dominant in the playoffs, with impressive numbers of 23.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks. He's the complete player, who can score, rebound, block, play very good defense and is one of the most underrated, intelligent players in the league. Last year was his first All-NBA appearance (3rd Team) and he's made the All-Star game the past three seasons. Despite these accolades, the mainstream press doesn't seem to tab him as one of the NBA's top-flight players, which he is.

Advantage: Boston

Center
Jokes about Narcyz Malinomowski's porous defense, such as my own nicknaming of him as the Great Polish Sieve are like the wisecracks in the late 90's and early '00s about Shaquille O'Neal's free-throwing shooting: Valid to a point, but only to a point. It's particularly true in Narcyz's case, as he's been working hard to merely be supbar, rather than a cardboard cutout on defense. In spite of his shortcomings on defense, he's the most beloved Grizzly of them all, probably because he's averaged around 15 points and 10 rebounds the last three seasons and has been Memphis's starting C since he was drafted with the 2nd overall pick in 2009. He'll get his points, he'll get his rebounds and he'll definitely get his blocks, having worked his tail off to improve in that area, to the point where he's averaged 2.7 and 2.6 rejections the past two regular seasons. For the postseason, he's averaging 2.8, to go with his 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds.

Ben Searcy is not normally the C's starting center. He's only there because Spencer Hawes is battling a twisted ankle. Searcy's not very good at anything, whereas Hawes does a lot of things pretty well, but isn't exceptional at anything. No question which team has the advantage here.

Advantage: Memphis

Bench
Marvin Williams has really earned his paycheck since signing in free agency last season. A part-time starter in 2012, he's been the team's 6th man in 2013, averaging 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds off the bench in the regular season, 9.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in the playoffs. He plays all 5 positions and like, Hawes, is a jack-of-all-trades, master of none, only Williams is the absolute maestro at the concept. There's also former Nugget Chauncey Billups, who at 37 doesn't get many minutes after signing a min-sal deal with Memphis, but he's still quite capable of running an NBA offense.

I've already noted Spencer Hawes, who's the 6th man while he deals with the twisted ankle. 25 year old Argentinian Federico Gomez is a terrific defensive player at all aspects of the game and a good rebounder. Rodney Stuckey has been a colossal bust since being taken 3rd overall by the Bobcats in 2007, but he provides some scoring punch off the bench. There's another pair of ex-Denver players, Marcus Camby and Nene Hilario on the Celtics bench, but Camby's 39 and Nene has long since proven that he's nothing more than a roster filler player. Good thing I traded him.

Advantage: Boston

Final Thoughts
On paper, Memphis is going to absolutely clobber Boston. But the Celtics do have a better bench and Al Jefferson is going to shut down Pau Gasol in my opinion. The problem for Boston is the Grizzlies' offense is too balanced to focus on shutting down any one player and Marvin Williams's versatility is going to give the Celtics coaching staff headaches. I just can't see my favorite team (that's not the Nuggets in this universe, I hasten to add), pulling it out. Memphis has just done too good a job in building this team.
Prediction: Memphis in 6

Game 1
Things open up in Boston and Al Jefferson takes all his frustrations at being underrated out on the Grizzlies, devastating Memphis for 26 points, 10 rebounds and 4 blocks. Gerald Green just misses 20 points with 19 and Jerrance Newman scores 10 points in 8 minutes off the bench for Boston. It's enough to get the Celtics the opening win, as only Narcyz Malinomowski comes to play for Memphis, finishing with 18 points, 18 rebounds and 3 blocks. So much for the vaunted Grizzly balance, at least for tonight. Spencer Hawes, by the way, is fully recovered from his twisted ankle and is starting again.
Final - Memphis 75 Boston 106

Game 2
Rudy Gay was on a mission to lead Memphis to a series evening and played brilliantly with 27 points, but once again, the Grizzlies lacked offense outside of one player and Boston responded more than adequately, as Delonte West surprised with 20 points, Al Jefferson doubled with 11 points and 13 rebounds and another unsung Celtics reserve stepped up, Ben Searcy the hero this time with an astonishing 17 points and 11 rebounds. It all adds up to a 2-0 Celtics lead and a suddenly impotent looking Grizzlies offense.
Final - Memphis 78 Boston 98

Game 3
None of the games so far in this Finals have been close and tonight's isnt either as the Grizzlies finally wake up from their hibernation in their home cave. Durko Jagr just misses a triple-double with 26 points, 8 assists, 9 rebounds and a steal, Narcyz Malinomowski and Paul Gasol double with 23 points and 14 rebounds and 14 points and 14 rebounds respectively and Rudy Gay scores 21. For Boston, Gerald Green scores 23 and that's it in a complete reversal of fortune in team play.
Final - Boston 87 Memphis 105

Game 4
At long last, a close game! Narcyz Malinomowski puts on arguably the most brilliant performance of this Finals with 27 points, 11 rebounds, an assist and 6 blocks (Durko Jagr might disagree with the most brilliant and point to his Game 3 showing), Pau Gasol does well with 14 points and 12 rebounds and Marvin Williams scores 11 off the bench. The Celtics counter with 26 points and 10 rebounds from Al Jefferson, 19 points and 10 assists from Delonte West and astounding bench play from Ben Searcy with 13 rebounds. But the real heroic Celtic warrior was Rodney Stuckey, who banished all the memories and struggles with 15 bench points, every one of which was needed as Boston prevailed by 3 points over the Grizzlies and seized a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Final - Boston 99 Memphis 96

Game 5
Frenzied crowd in Boston as the Celtics seek their first NBA championship since 1986. The fans witness Al Jefferson putting on a virtuoso performance of 34 points and 12 rebounds, 11 points and 14 rebounds from Spencer Hawes and 14 bench points from Ben Searcy, who has really established himself as a hot commodity in just his second season. (The Celtics hold his salary for the next year at least, though). Rudy Gay tries to lead the Grizzlies back to a fighting chance with 21 points and Chris Gearheart, who's been asleep all series, finally has a good game with 16 points and 10 assists, but even that and even Kendrick Perkins's 10 bench points aren't enough to prevent the fourth blowout in five games and at long last, after a 27 year drought, another championship banner to hang from the rafters in Boston.
Final - Memphis 93 Boston 113

Al Jefferson's contract expires after this season and should this be his last year in a Celtics uniform, he's gone out with a ring and with one of the greatest Finals series since I've been in the league. Interest in him is going to be running and Boston's front office would be stupid not to throw all the money it can at him.

It's nice to see the Celtics win, even nicer that they did it in an underdog role.

Still, I can't help but feel that this should've been our year, our turn to win another title.

But there's always next year....

[Izulde]

NBA Lottery
1. Houston Rockets (+5)
2. New Jersey Nets (-1)
3. Portland Trailblazers (+10)
4. New Orleans Hornets (-2)
5. Washington Wizards (-2)
6. Golden State Warriors (-2)
7. New York Knicks (-2)
8. Atlanta Hawks (-1)
9. Cleveland Cavaliers (-1)
10. Chicago Bulls (-1)
11. Los Angeles Clippers (-1)
12. Seattle Supersonics (-1)
13. Miami Heat (-1)
14. Phoenix Suns

The Rockets and Trailblazers are the big-time winners here, obviously. I'm not happy about seeing a divisional foe gain such a drastic leap, but on the other hand, I think I've made our team good enough to be dominant within the Northwest for a few more years to come.

Awards
MVP
Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers - 19.2 ppg 11.9 rpg 3.1 apg 2.2 bpg 0.9 spg
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - 11.5 ppg 8.4 rpg 3.4 apg 3.8 bpg 1.4 spg
Rookie of the Year
Buddy Bracey - Cleveland Cavaliers - 11.2 ppg 5.4 rpg 2.5 apg 1.1 spg
6th Man of the Year
Tony Parker - Indiana Pacers - 14.9 ppg 2.5 rpg 4.4 apg 0.8 spg
Coach of the Year
Rudy Tomjanovich - Indiana Pacers

Very deserving awards for Tony Parker and Rudy T. But Bynum as MVP? What a joke! There were so many players far more deserving than that, but then, the voters are idiots.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
PF Elton Brand - Los Angeles Clippers
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Ben Gordon - Indiana Pacers
SF Rudy Gay - Memphis Grizzlies
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Jonte Jones - Dallas Mavericks

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
SG Mateen Yeaton - Denver Nuggets
SF Carmelo Anthony - New York Knicks
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Kevin Martin - Sacramento Kings
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Calvis Graham - Golden State Warriors
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Emeka Okafor - Denver Nuggets
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Branko Starcevic - Seattle Supersonics
SG Charles Seegars - Chicago Bulls
SF Buddy Bracey - Cleveland Cavaliers
PF Pete Totten - New York Knicks
C Martin Beerbohm - New Jersey Nets

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Donovan McCarthy - Minnesota Timberwolves
SG Jerian McCrary - Portland Trailblazers
SF Ron McPherson - New Orleans Hornets
PF Kerwin Haston - Washington Wizards
C Chris Washington - Utah Jazz

First time ever we've had two award winners for one of my teams in a season as far as I can recall. Gordon and Yeaton flip-flopped from last year, but that's all right. I personally would've given Jonte Jones the MVP and 1st Team C award.

Want to know how little an impact this year's rookie PG class had? McCarthy, the All-Rookie 2nd teamer, averaged less than a point and an assist per game.

Utah Six

PG Brandon Brooks - Portland Trailblazers
Averaged 11.9 points and career highs in assists and rebounds with 9.2 and 3.8 respectively. 28 years old now, he's been a major disappointment relative to his selection as the 2nd overall pick. Oh, he's still a fan favorite and a smart player who has good defense, but he's not a gamechanger, nor is he an explosive player.

PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
Showed no ill effects from the injury that limited him to 60 games last year in averaging 18.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 blocks a game en route to All-NBA 3rd Team honors and his fourth straight All-Star game. The scary part is, he's still just 25 and looks to have a long, successful career ahead of him.

SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat
Fought his way back to being a part-time starter this year, with 50 starts and 73 appearances. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.5 rebounds, while continuing to be the most underrated defensive player in the league. He's set financially for the next few years, signed with Miami through his year 32 season (29 now).

C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks
What a difference a year makes. Braun went from being the starting C in New York all the way to an end of the bench player, averaging just 6.5 minutes a game in 66 games, averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds. That said, the $3-4 million a year, 6 -year contract extension he signed with the Knicks last season likely ensures he'll stay in New York and in consequence the NBA, for some time to come.

PF B.J. Whitehead - Los Angeles Lakers
Signed just before the season started to a min-sal deal with the Purple and Gold, where his horrible ballhandling skills doomed him to the end of the bench. He averaged 2.1 points and 1.5 rebounds in 6 minutes a game for 50 games. Unlike Braun, he doesn't have contract security so he's likely out of the league after this season, especially since he's now 29.

SF Brian Robertson - Idaho Buckaroos
Just when I thought he was done for good, Robertson squeezes another $35,000 out of a D-League team in signing with the Buckaroos as a free agent. Sure he sat on the inactive list and didn't appear in a game (his last appearance came in 2010, in fact), but at least he was on a roster and earned some money.

B.B. Dyer and I have a chat a few days after the awards are announced. I promise yet another division title next year. He wants more than that, but he'll accept that and although he'd prefer not to be $10-15 million over the cap as I project we'll be, he agrees to that as well.

Honestly, I don't foresee very many changes to the roster this offseason. For once, we're pretty well set in terms of numbers with 11 players under contract and our nucleus of talent looks good enough that I don't anticipate trying to shake things up.

Phillip Gill gets a 2 year, $8.6 million contract extension that'll keep him in Denver for the next three years. I wanted to sign him to a longer term deal, but he and his agent both know that if Gill develops like he has the potential to, he could be looking at a huge payday in a few years. I actually see Gill as the possible heir apparent to Emeka Okafor at PF, even though Gill will never be more than an average defender.

Of course, I being who I am, I can't resist the opportunity to investigate the trade market. A deal with the Chicago Bulls almost comes to fruition, but their front office nixes the trade at the last minute. I come this close to making a trade with the 76ers, but choose not to just before I'm about to sign, although I inform the Philadelphia front office the possibility of the deal is still open, pending the fallout of the draft.

All in all though, it's a pretty rough trade market. The Bulls and 76ers were the only teams we came even remotely close to making a swap with.

The coach hiring season is upon next and we're looking for new 2nd and 3rd assistants. Kevin O'Neill, my top choice for 2nd assistant, takes a little less money to be the top assistant with the Magic. No problems as I make a huge splash the next day in announcing the signing of former Knicks great Patrick Ewing to a 2-year deal as our 2nd assistant.

Not only does Ewing have potential to be a good coach, maybe even a head coach someday, but it's another knife stab in the heart of the Knicks, whose fans are irate when the news breaks of their beloved Patrick to our staff.

Detlef Schrempf returns to our staff, accepting without complaint a demotion to the 3rd assistant role on a 2-year contract for the same amount of money as Ewing.

The pre-draft buzz is all about 19 year old Canadian SG Justin Richler, who averaged 30.4 points a game in a league in the Great White North, though for my money, 19 year old one and done Kansas Jayhawk SF Mark White is the most complete player in this draft class and should go #1.

An amusing story in this class is another 19 year old, a Bulgarian named eric Kostov. Yes, that's right, he spells his first name with the lower-case e. According to what I've been able to find out from our European scouts, Kostov was looking to change his first name to something more appealing to American sponsors and he happened to read an e.e. cummings poem that he was so enchanted by, he settled on eric as his first name. Brilliant, in an Ocho Cinco kind of way.

The mocks have us taking 22 year old PF Jonathan Guyton out of North Carolina. While I'm definitely looking at either PF or PG, as we need more youth at those positions, I'm not at all impressed with Guyton.

Just exactly what we do with the pick is still open to debate. All I know is, my fingers are itching to make some kind of a trade. It's not like me to go this long without dealing.

[Izulde]

There's a slew of attractive looking PGs in this draft, so our chances of finding an heir to Kirk Hinrich are quite good. The PF prospects are much less impressive for the kind of guys that we'd likely be able to get, but I scout a few anyway.

2014 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. SF Mark White - Houston Rockets
2. SG Justin Richler - New Jersey Nets

I almost have to feel sorry for the Trailblazers. They luck out in getting all the way to #3 and for their luck, they miss out on the two best players in the draft, bar none.

3. C Morris Allaway - Portland Trailblazers

So they over-reach on a C, though they do need a true five.

4. PG Ray Fields - New Orleans Hornets

I like the way the Hornets are building, grabbing McPherson last year and taking the single-best PG in this draft. Though I have to wonder, what does this mean for Chris Paul?

5. PG Leland Peterson - Washington Wizards

...Not good. All the top-shelf PG talent is flying off the board and the positions's not as deep as I thought.

6. PG Derrick Attaway - Golden State Warriors

..Damn it.

7. SG John Grawer - New York Knicks
8. PG Sam Hamilton - Atlanta Hawks

Okay, I can forget about getting a decent PG now. Way, way too early for Hamilton to go and he's not even that good. I saw him as more a mid-late 1st, tilting more towards the late part of the equation.

9. PG Jeremy Steele - Cleveland Cavaliers
10. SF Shannon Drayton - Chicago Bulls
11. C Chris Driver - Los Angeles Clippers
12. SG Angelo Mascoe - Seattle Supersonics
13. PG eric Kostov - Miami Heat

Heh.

14. SF Alex Watkins - Phoenix Suns
15. SG Damon Jupiter - Orlando Magic

So, remember when I said we were involved in trade discussions with Philadelphia? The #16 pick was part of the deal, but I held off and now I'm glad I did, because there's nobody left that we've scouted who's worthy of the selection. Thus, we're passing.

16. SG Jeremy Thompson - Philadelphia 76ers
17. SF Lannce Dudley - Milwaukee Bucks

No, that isn't a typo. He really does spell his name Lannce.

18. PF Brian Bender - Detroit Pistons
19. SF Jason Tackett - Sacramento Kings
20. C Jimmy Johnson - Utah Jazz
21. PG Ahmad Williams - San Antonio Spurs
22. SG Deon Wiel - Minnesota Timberwolves
23. PG Damien Giesen - Memphis Grizzlies
24. PG Jim Jackson - Boston Celtics
25. SG Leighton Reese - Charlotte Bobcats
26. PG Chris Davis - Indiana Pacers

The experts are yammering for us to take mock draft pick Jonathan Guyton and he's been the best PF on JP's board for a number of picks now, but I just don't see.

Instead, I throw a curveball.

Or rather, two curveballs.

Denver Nuggets receive
PG Brandon Brooks

Portland Trailblazers receive
SG Duez Walker
PG Marcus Williams
Denver Nuggets 2014 2nd round pick (#50)
Denver Nuggets 2016 2nd round pick

What this means for the Nuggets
Although Brooks has never lived up to the lofty billing of being the #2 overall selection, he's a shrewd pickup for Denver, who now vastly upgrades their backcourt depth with a proven PG and guards against Kirk Hinrich's potential age-related decline. In fact, knowing GM Jestor, this could well signal another spinoff involving Hinrich.

What this means for the Trailblazers
Brooks was one of the most popular players on the team, so the fans won't be happy about a trade that doesn't involve a 1st round pick. Walker showed flashes of talent as a rookie, but was squeezed out in Denver's rotation last year during the wholesale makeover. Williams is an underrated PG who moves to his fourth team in as many years and could replace Brooks as the starting PG.

Advantage: Denver
The Nuggets address the need for a true PG heir and clear out some of the clutter in their backcourt, all without giving up their first round pick. That's a win-win situation no matter how you look at it.

In the interest of full confession, I'll admit that I shopped Hinrich around, but it was only casually to see what I could get for him. Turns out not very much considering his age and his beastly contract. I still throw the second curve though.

27. C Lindsey Willamson - Denver Nuggets

You can't teach 7', 277 lbs and the report on Williamson is that he's got great defensive skills, something we can always use more of on our bench. From Kent State, he's just the 6th Golden Flash player ever to be drafted and might finally be the first player I've picked to ever stick with the drafting team long-term.

The pick receives mixed reviews, in sharp contrast to the glowing praise that Duez Walker received a couple years ago, but that's all right. Lindsey fills a need.

28. PG Eddie Hickman - Toronto Raptors
29. SG Jim McPherson - Dallas Mavericks
30. PF Jonathan Guyton - Los Angeles Lakers

J.P. and Chris get into one of the most hilarious arguments I've ever seen following the Guyton pick, as J.P.'s practically purpling with outrage that it took this long for someone to draft Guyton, while Chris fires back with the gold response of, "I was a former player and I know that college standouts don't always cut it at the pro level. You can't understand that because you never played at this level."

Can you say burn? I knew you could! Congratulations anyway, Purple and Gold, for making JP semi-happy.

With no second round pick thanks to the Brooks trade, I ignore the rest of the draft and just field phone calls about the deal we made and our selection of Williamson.

After we get done renouncing all the rights to our free agents, none of whom we have any real interest in bringing back, we've got 11 players under contract still and are just over $1 million in terms of the cap. I think Mr. Dyer is going to be quite happy with that.

Lindsey Williamson looks to be none too bright a player, though he's a great defender already with good shotblocking instincts and some rebounding potential. The coaching staff vows to work with him in training camp and see if they can't make more out of him.

Williamson and Phillip Gill are the only two Nuggets to go summer leaguing.

With such a scrubby team, it's little wonder that Dallas beats us 106-97 in the Summer League opener, although Kyle Smith raises eyebrows with 22 points for us and Chris Irwin has 12 points and 14 rebounds as a reserve.

On the other hand, we wallop Golden State 92-67 as Kyle Smith leads all scorers with 19. Lindsey Williamson shows surprising shooting touch in scoring 10 and 14 points the first two games, keeping pace with Phillip Gill's 11 and 12 points in the same contests.

Hard luck in a 103-98 loss in Atlanta, although Kyle Smith scored 18, Kurt Ware doubled with 16 points and 10 assists and Cedric Tolliver and Pat Morris each put up 10 points off the bench. Smith, a 22 year old 3rd year player and former 1st round draft pick of the Magic (13th overall selection in the 2012 draft) is showing some serious game and has some real potential to become a -very- good player. In fact, he's playing so well in the summer league, we're going to try and offer him a contract.

Kyle Smith plays magnificiently in an 82-80 loss to the Bulls, scoring 24 and looking sensational. Chris Irwin grabbed 10 bench rebounds, Pat Morris 10 reserve points, but Smith has really stolen the spotlight in taking the Summer League by storm. Between him and Tyrone Dotson from the Spurs, I've pretty much got my free agency wishlist written up.

We close out the summer league with our best performance of the season, a 104-84 thrashing of the Celtics led by, who else? Kyle Smith with 25 points. Pat Morris had 10 bench points and should catch on somewhere, in the D-league if nothing else. Phillip Gill scored 16 in the final game, while Lindsey Williamson was a perfect 7/7 and finished with 14 points. He very well could turn out a late 1st round steal for us.

And so we'll take a break on that happy note. I'm thrilled to have discovered Smith and can't wait to land him, even if we have to give him the mid-level exemption. I see that kind of potential in him.

[Izulde]

A ton of free agents in the market this year who are very intriguing, most of whom are locks to re-sign with their old times.

One high-profile name who could move on: 36 year old Kobe Bryant, who hasn't seen the All-NBA team in a couple of years and who may not get the kind of money he's looking for from the Lakers.

Paulinho Buboltz gets a max deal from Indiana and it's not surprising, considering he averaged 17 points and 9.5 assists a game last year. It appears he's finally taken that step to the next level and while he's not a superstar yet, he's fast approaching it.

The suspense over Kobe Bryant ends fairly early on in free agency when he re-inks with the Lakers for $12.3 million and one more year. I'm not too thrilled to see him back in Purple and Gold, but the Lakers faithful are obviously ecstatic, as are the NBA brass, who definitely wanted him to return to the league's marquee franchise.

Boston made it a mission to re-sign Al Jefferson and they did, rewarding him with a 6 year, $88.1 million contract to keep him with the Celtics. Smart move by the new defending champions, as I think Beantown would've burned had they had let him escape.

We get our man the day after Jefferson re-ups with Boston, signing Kyle Smith to a 5 year, $30 million deal. That same day, the Toronto Raptors steal 3rd year, former #1 overall pick David Anyan away from the Jazz on a max mid-level exemption deal (5 years, $32 mill and change). Utah's going to rue the day they let Anyan away, as the 22 year old SF has the kind of ability that just screams superstar and I mean Kobe Bryant level superstar. To tell you the truth, I almost made a play for him instead of Smith, because Anyan's the complete package. What a steal by the Raptors, who now make me look like I've overpaid for Smith. How good is Anyan? So good he's a probable canidate to be the starting SF. In Toronto.

Tyrone Dotson picks up a nice 4 year, $12.5 million deal to stay a Spur on the same day Caron Butler migrates to Minnesota on a one year, $6 mill and change deal and Mike Bibby joins Utah for one year at $5 million. Money better spent on Anyan, but it's better for us, really.

I punch up our defense by signing Thabo Sefolosha to a two-year max low exemption deal. As you know, I've always been a great admirer of Thabo's skills, so I'm thrilled to add him to our bench.

To complete our team, I bring Peter John Ramos back to Denver on a one-year min-sal deal. My thinking is that by returning Ramos, who played one year for us in 2010, I'll have the luxury of moving Lindsey Williamson to the D-League, where he'll probably be an everyday starter or at least one of the first players off the bench, rather than an end-of-bench guy like he is right now.

This brings us to $9.5 million over the cap, just under the $10 million I predicted to Mr. Dyer.

Two days later, the Lakers get Vince Carter on a min-sal deal and Jermaine O'Neal jumps ship to Detroit on the same terms. Jason Terry bolts to the Rockets for $4.5 million and one year, leaving Dallas in something of a bind as the Mavericks try to stay one of the West's elite teams.

Crazy offseason and in my opinion, the Raptors have once again made themselves the team to beat in the East and the league as a whole. I'm kind of kicking myself for not investigating what Anyan wanted earlier, but on the other hand, there's also no guarantee he would've chosen us over Toronto. I mean, let's be realistic here. The Raptors won the title two years ago and were one missed shot away from going back to the Finals, where they almost certainly would've squashed Memphis and become the first repeat defending champions since I joined the league.

Compare that to the Nuggets, who don't have nearly as distinguished a track recrod, though we're still one of the elite teams in the West, by my own estimation.

And if Anyan -had- chosen the Raptors over us while were battling Toronto for him, we'd have run the risk of missing out on Smith, who loved playing for us in the summer league and who was said to be generating considerable interest.

So it works out. Having Smith is better than having no one of that kind of tantalizing potential at all.

Great training camp as Larry Brown and the rest of the staff declared the starting PG position an open competiton and Kirk Hinrich and Brandon Brooks went at it hard every single day. Hinrich won out, as you might expect, but he told the Denver Post that having Brooks to push him made him an even better player than he's ever been. That's good news, especially since we were worried about age catching up to him.

Kyle Smith busted his tail off in training camp and showed significant improvement as well, which was a relief as I privately worried he might slack off now that he had his big contract.

Much to my chagrin, Mateen Yeaton was the one low spot of camp, as the coaches reported he came in with much less intensity than he'd shown in previous years. Maybe it was a mistake to trade for him after all.

Lindsey Williamson was assigned to the Colorado Timberjacks, where he was named the starting C. I really think it'll be better for his development if he goes down there.

2014 Denver Nuggets Opening Day Lineup
PG Kirk Hinrich
SG Mateen Yeaton
SF Patrick Pastner
PF Emeka Okafor
C Dan Jacobson
6th Brandon Brooks (PG/SG)
7th Kyle Smith (PG/SG/SF)
8th Phillip Gill (SF/PF/C)
9th Thabo Sefolosha (PG/SG/SF)
10th Steven Caspers (SF/PF/C)
11th Shaun Livingston (PG/SG)
12th Peter John Ramos (PF/C)
Inactive Willie Green
D-League Lindsey Williamson

We finally get some preseason love and are picked as the #2 team in the West, behind the habitually underachieving Portland Trailblazers. Duez Walker is buried on the Traiblazer bench to no one's surprise, but what is a small shock is that Marcus Williams lost the starting PG spot to second year guard Jerian McCrary. Although I like the starting five as always, the bench will continue to plague the Trailblazers, particularly a woeful lack of big man depth.

The Raptors are the consensus pick to win the East and win at all, but in typical glue-sniffing fashion, the preseason press picks the Knicks to be the #2 seed in the East. ...Yeah, let's see New York actually make the playoffs period first, okay?

I'm most worried about the Lakers in the West. They're still the most dangerous team in the conference in my opinion, especially after adding Vince Carter as their 6th man. Dallas is going to be hurting with Jason Terry gone and I highly doubt Memphis is going to be able to repeat the magic of last season's Finals run.

What I'm pretty sure about is that our team is a hell of a lot better than it was last year and that we have depth in spades, something we've lacked in previous seasons.

[Izulde]

As always, we open with the litmus test of the Lakers on the road Halloween night. Dreadful 36.3% shooting from the field dooms us to a narrow 93-90 defeat. Kyle Smith scores 12 points in 13 minutes in his Denver debut, though and Patrick Pastner and Emeka Okafor both double-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds and 11 points, 13 rebounds in a nifty respective inversing.

Patrick Pastner leads the way with 24 points as we top the Timberwolves 89-77. Larry Brown experiments with Mateen Yeaton at the point, Kyle Smith at SG. Smith shoots a horrific 3 for 13 and Yeaton does okay with 19 points and 6 assists versus 1 turnover. I think we're better with a Hinrich/Yeaton backcourt, but Larry's the boss of the lineup.

My point's proven in a 107-100 loss to the Jazz in our next game. Emeka Okafor plays nicely with 19 points and 10 rebounds, but overall our offense is looking dreadfully out of sync with Brown's new five and our defense is shredded by Utah's starting unit.

Or maybe it's that Utah's better than I think, as they beat us again two nights later, 114-110, on the front end of a doubleheader. This despite 22 points from Kyle Smith, 27 points from Mateen Yeaton and doubleheaders of 19 points and 15 rebounds and 12 points and 11 rebounds from Dan Jacobson and Emeka Okafor. Yeaton really has no business whatsoever being at the point, but Larry's sticking with it. Kyle Smith scores 27 the next night against Seattle, Mateen Yeaton adding 20 points, Brandon Brooks 13 bench points as we throttle Seattle 101-82. I don't know why Kirk Hinrich isn't getting very many minutes, but if he doesn't start getting more PT soon, I may have to think about moving him.

Detroit goes down 89-80 as Mateen Yeaton scores 25. Kirk Hinrich is still averaging under 10 minutes a game ever since the opening night loss to the Lakers. It's really puzzling, but it does seem like we're shooting better as a team after the switch.

103-94 victory over the Kings keeps our small win streak alive. Mateen Yeaton's looking more comfortable at the point with 19 points and 10 assists and Dan Jacobson gets 13 points and 14 rebounds. Brandon Brooks continues to find new life as our 6th man with 12 points off the bench, Phillip Gill adding 10 reserve boards.

Toronto throttles us 97-85 to end our winning ways. Mateen Yeaton scores 22, but the real story of the game is Greg Oden, who sets some records with 18 points, 32 rebounds, 7 blocks and 8 assists. That was almost a quadruple-double. Amazing performance. David Anyan is averaging 20.1 points a game in the young season and playing brilliantly all-around. The Raptors aren't just good this year, they're scary good.

Our best game of the season follows in a 109-76 out-running of the Bulls. Mateen Yeaton garners 20 points and 10 assists, Kyle Smith scores 20 and Patrick Pastner puts up 22 points. I'm still not wholly comfortable with this team, but it's starting to grow on me a little bit.

Thrilling, high-scoring game against Dallas, the home advantage carrying us to the narrow 114-112 win. Kyle Smith is electric, scoring 32 points, ably aided by Patrick Pastner with 23 points and Emeka Okafor with 14 points, 12 rebounds. It's driving me crazy seeing Mateen Yeaton running the point, but on the other hand it'll make for an interesting comparison to Paulinho Buboltz. Hell of a game by Jonte Jones, too; 32 points and 18 rebounds.

I'll tell you one thing, though. This version of the Nuggets, when the offense is in sync, is a beautiful thing to watch. We shoot 60% even against New Jersey, destroying the Nets 117-73. Mateen Yeaton scores 30, Brandon Brooks double-doubles off the bench with 10 points and 11 assists and Steven Caspers leads the reserves with 14 points. Kirk Hinrich continues to get scanty minutes and he's starting to make it an issue to the local press.

But it's hard to argue with the results, as we whomp the Spurs 102-71 on the first night of a back-to-back, Mateen Yeaton leading the charge with 22 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds and a steal, Phillip Gill nearly flawless in scoring 15 points to head up the second unit. We score a sweep by squashing the Rockets 96-78 and that's without Mateen Yeaton in the starting lineup, as he had a concussion. He scored 12 points in reserve duty, but credit for the victory goes to Brandon Brooks (10 points, 10 assists[/b], Patrick Pastner (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Emeka Okafor (14 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks).

Or maybe I'll keep Kirk Hinrich, who leads the reserves with 12 points in 10 minutes en route to a 109-92 victory over the Hornets. Mateen Yeaton is still plagued by a concussion and plays fewer minutes this game, but Hinrich's play, Brandon Brooks's 14 points and 16 assists, Kyle Smith's 24 points and Dan Jacobson's 16 points, 12 rebounds and 5 blocks ensure that we don't miss Mateen in the least. That's how deep we are this year, particularly at the guard spots.

Lebron James is incredible in scoring 38 points against us in the final game of the month, but the Cavaliers can't withstand our balanced attack. We top Cleveland 101-94 as Mateen Yeaton scores 21 in his first game back as a starter, Emeka Okafor adds 12 points and 10 rebounds, [b]Dan Jacobson 11 points and 13 rebounds and Brandon Brooks highlights the bench with 11 points.

So where does that leave us at the end of the first month? 11-4, a game and a half ahead of the Utah Jazz and the Seattle Supersonics in the Northwest.

Dallas is still looking good even without Jason Terry, as they're 12-5 and the Lakers are tops at 13-3, as expected.

Toronto's 14-3 in the East, while Boston and Detroit are 10-4, Indiana a game off the Pistons at 10-5.

Paulinho Buboltz/Mateen Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 15 games/15 starts - 20.5 PPG 7.6 APG 2.9 RPG 0.8 BPG 1.5 SPG

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 15 games/13 starts - 18.5 PPG 6.6 APG 4.3 RPG 1.0 BPG 1.1 SPG

...Ouch. I just have to keep reminding myself though that #1) it's early in the season and #2) Mateen's having to adjust to a position that's not naturally suited for him.

[boberot]

Sounds like you've got the Nuggets on track. I have a feeling you won't be able to get enough value for your boy Heimlich. *heh, heh.* I tried to move a slightly older TJ Ford in my "dynasty" and had a hell of a time.

Just curious -- have you messed around with the salary cap at all?
Good luck . . . .

[Izulde]

Sounds like you've got the Nuggets on track. I have a feeling you won't be able to get enough value for your boy Heimlich. *heh, heh.* I tried to move a slightly older TJ Ford in my "dynasty" and had a hell of a time.

Just curious -- have you messed around with the salary cap at all?
Good luck . . . .

Nope I haven't. The only thing I've done is remove the 90-day rule and left it at 60 days in terms of able to be traded, as it makes more sense to me.

And this is an odd team... and I may not be done wheeling and dealing yet.

[Izulde]

Los Angeles Lakers receive
PG Calvis Graham
Golden State Warriors 2015 2nd round pick

Golden State Warriors receive
SF Rodney Brown
SF Ben Larson

What this means for the Lakers
The 24 year old Graham is the single-most talented young passer in the league today. He won't be a main offensive option, but there's none better under 25 at distributing the ball and there's a good chance he'll be one of the top PGs in the league when he's done developing. His acquistion allows the Lakers to move Jordan Farmar down to the 6th man role. The second round pick is a sweet cherry icing.

What this means for the Warriors
Al Harrington is 34 years old and isn't going to be around much longer, so Brown takes over as the 6th man and is the heir apparent. Unfortunately, the 23 year old Brown isn't that good and the 25 year old Larson, while able to play 3 positions, is roster filler.

Winner: L.A. Lakers
Golden State got absolutely reamed on this one, as the Lakers give up virtually nothing to upgrade the weak link in their starting five in a major way.

Ugh. That is not what I needed to read about. Not good at all.

I can't just stand idle and watch the Lakers improve without making a move ourselves.

David Anyan's arrival in Toronto has created a big problem. Namely, he can only play SF, so the Raptors are unable to have the lineup they'd like of T.J. Ford/David Anyan/Andrea Bargnani/Chris Bosh/Greg Oden and instead are forced to make someone the odd man out. In thiis case, it's Bosh and he's absolutely livid about it.

So I call the Raptors up and see if we can negotiate some kind of deal. I put together a package that I think is a fair agreement, but they won't do it, arguing that they're wouldn't be getting an equal value exchange.

I make myself hang up to avoid bitching the bastards out. Fine, let them have Bosh be a malcontent and a distraction for the entire season. I didn't really want an undersized center anyway, as they're too easily abused by the bigger men in my opinion.

It's a position I ponder rethinking after we get blown out 109-86 by the Heat at home. Everyone played terribly except for Brandon Brooks, who led the team with 17 points off the bench.

We dispell the Magic 104-86 in our next game, Mateen Yeaton and Kyle Smith scoring 21 to go with Patrick Pastner's 21 points and Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson double-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 14 points, 13 rebounds respectively. It's something I'm going to go back and forth on all month I think.

More magician maraudering ensues as we vanquish the Wizards 116-91. Mateen Yeaton is mystical with 25 points, 7 assists, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks, Emeka Okafor assists with 10 points and 15 rebounds and our bench underlings are great; Steven Caspers with 14 points and Phillip Gill with 12 points and 11 rebounds.

24 points a piece from Mateen Yeaton and Kyle Smith aren't enough to prevent our getting dino-stomped by the Raptors 110-90. Patrick Pastner was held to 0 points as Toronto straight up trashed us. Why oh why won't they trade us Bosh?

It puts me in a grumpy mood as we kick off our annual December East Coast trip with a 102-90 defeat of the Knicks. Not even watching Mateen Yeaton and Patrick Pastner combine for 23 and 21 points to knock New York around can cheer me up, nor can Brandon Brooks's 10 bench points. Kyle Smith has been so erratic lately that I'm tempted to trade him, but Paulinho Buboltz illustrates what happens when you do that.

We score 94 points in both games of the back-to-back and in both cases, it's enough to earn us the win. Mateen Yeaton and Kyle Smith take care of Philadelphia with 25 and 24 points respectively and not even Al Jefferson can save Boston against Mateen Yeaton's 25 points, especially not when Patrick Pastner's scoring 20 in the same game.

Just when I'm beginning to relax a little under the winning, Miami and Orlando drop us on back-to-back nights. Dan Jacobson with 21 points and 15 rebounds, [b]Patrick Pastner with 22 points and Emeka Okafor with 10 points and 12 rebounds isn't going to be enough when Nigel Abel is raining 43 points of hellfire on you in a 113-104 loss, even with Brandon Brooks valiantly putting up 10 bench assists. As for the Magic? Three people came to play: Mateen Yeaton (20 points), Patrick Pastner (24 points) and Dan Jacobson (10 points, 17 rebounds) and they weren't enough.

After we lose 97-90 to Phoenix at home for our third straight loss, despite 22 points from Mateen Yeaton and Patrick Pastner and 11 points and 11 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, I've had enough. I don't have the patience to wait for Kyle Smith to grow up and get more consistent, not when Emeka Okafor is getting up there in years and I want him as one of my favorite players to have a ring before he retires.

I then run into the absurd notion that teams in last place in their divison still entertain dreams of making a run for the title. Hello! I know it's still early, but you guys aren't going anywhere!

These frustrations only bring me to greater headache and frustration. The wise thing would be to wait, but the truth is, I'm absolutely miserable with how this team is right now and I don't care if it costs us a title, I want to shake it up so it looks more like a team I can be happy with.

Desparation leads me to call Indiana and beg the Pacers to trade me Paulinho Buboltz back. I throw everything except Mateen Yeaton at them and the GM laughs hysterically for a good 10 minutes before answering, "No. Not now, not ever. You should've thought of that before", and hangs up on me.

I'm in full-fledged despondency, but continue to trudge along.

And then a beautiful thing happens.

A shiny, shimmery deal winnows its way through the net of my despair and lo, a trade is struck!

Denver Nuggets receive
PG Cherokee Waterman
Cleveland Cavaliers 2015 1st round pick
Cleveland Cavaliers 2017 1st round pick

Cleveland Cavaliers receive
SG Kyle Smith

What this means for the Nuggets
Denver's mired in a three-game losing streak and has looked by and large off-kilter from their usual offensive gameplan. Most of the blame has been laid at the feet of Larry Brown and his staff's decision to start Mateen Yeaton at PG after GM Jestor signed summer league superstar Smith to a five year deal. No more, as the Nuggets take Waterman, a thoroughly average, but intelligent guard to make the salaries work and get two 1st round picks, all of which are gravy on top of the fact that they'll now be running Brandon Brooks at PG, who's a natural there and will be moving Kirk Hinrich up to the first guard off the bench as Denver's front office intended at the beginning of the season.

What this means for the Cavaliers
Steep price for the 9-15 Cavaliers to pay, but Smith gives Cleveland what they've been searching for ever since Lebron James came to town: a legitimate scoring option besides King James. Lebron's still young enough at 30 that Cleveland can hope to make some noise and with the 22 year old Smith sizzling with potential, the Cavs could see the playoffs again as soon as this year, blunting the sting of losing two future 1st rounders.

Winner: Draw
This is exactly the kind of deal that both teams needed in a major way. Even if the Nuggets end up with non-lottery picks, the peace of mind the Denver front office will get from a more natural lineup is worth it and as for Cleveland's front office, they can finally tell Cavs fans they've at long-last completed their Holy Grail quest; to find King James a worthy knight.

I want to cry, I feel so relieved right now.

We celebrate in the Coffee Capital with a 95-83 win over the Supersonics. Emeka Okafor looks five years younger as he takes Player of the Game with 25 points, 17 rebounds and 6 blocks. Mateen Yeaton cheerfully scores 20 in his natural SG role, Dan Jacobson sings a gleeful 11 points and 16 rebounds and Brandon Brooks contributes an understated 11 points and 11 assists.

Christmas cheer and carols abound as we fa-la-la-la our way to a beautifully-wrapped 111-91 victory at home over the Mavericks on Christmas Eve. Brandon Brooks plays the perfect Santa, dishing out passes for presents on his way to 19 points and 14 assists and Mateen Yeaton and Patrick Pastner are his matching helper elves, outfitted with 22 points a piece. Christmas Day sees a serene 106-97 victory in California, Mateen Yeaton sunny in Oakland with 27 points, Brandon Brooks fantastic with a perfectly paired 12 points and 12 assists and Kirk Hinrich revived with 10 reserve points.

The holiday spirit carries over into a 112-96 home win against the 76ers, Mateen Yeaton the most festive of all with 32 points. Phillip Gill is downright cheerful himself with 16 bench points.

We're all so much happier that even the 100-89 loss to the Lakers that stops our rejuvenation can't wholly discourage us. Brandon Brooks has a good showing of 19 points and 13 assists and Patrick Pastner leads us with 20 points as we fail to solve the puzzle this New Year's Eve night. I think we can still find the solution by the time the playoffs come, though.

New Year's Day is a fun-filled 104-89 romp over the Clippers. Patrick Pastner gets his first double-double in what seems like forever with 28 points and 10 rebounds, Brandon Brooks scores 13 and hands out 17 assists and Steven Caspers, one of our most underrated bench players, is tops among the reserves with 12 points.

And so, this January 1st, we're still tops in the Northwest at 21-10, a comfortable 3.5 games ahead of the Jazz, who are doing just fine without David Anyan, thank you very much. We're chasing Dallas, who's 22-8 for the #2 spot, but I don't anticipate us or anyone catching the 23-5 Lakers before the end of the year for the top seed.

The Raptors had Chris Bosh on the trading block earlier in the month, but were still being jackasses about what they wanted for him. I'm not sure if they've traded him yet or not. In any case, they're still in front in the East at 23-9, but the Pistons have surged to 22-8 and are right behind them. In a no suprise at all story, the Bobcats already look well on their way to yet another Southeast title. as they're 18-10 and the Heat, while good against the old us, are 16-17 in second place.

Indiana's fallen to 15-13, perhaps karmic revenge for not letting us get Paulinho Buboltz back. It's a close race thus far in the East for everything outside of the top 3 spots.

So close, in fact, that the New York Knicks, at 14-16, are within striking distance of a playoff spot.

Now that's saying something.

The Cavaliers, despite the much-celebrated acquistion of Kyle Smith, have gone 1-5 since he came to town. That's perfectly all right by me.

I've heard, as most people have, of the old saying about "addition by subtraction" and understood instances where it applied.

But I never realized just how profound and powerful an effect it can have on a team. Now I know and the rest of the reason is looking much, much brighter and sweeter as a result.

One more thing.

Paulinho Buboltz/Mateen Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 28 games/28 starts - 21.2 PPG 8.2 APG 3.3 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.4 SPG

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 31 games/29 starts - 20.3 PPG 6.0 APG 5.0 RPG 1.5 BPG 1.1 SPG

I discovered a big reason why the Pacers are struggling. Tony Parker, last year's 6th Man of the Year, is out with a torn ACL. It also doesn't help that Ben Gordon is having his worst year since I joined the NBA, averaging 23.5 points on a career-worst 47% shooting.

Funny parallel strikes our teams again, by the way. We go and get Utah Sixer Brandon Brooks and the Pacers sign a Utah Sixer from the D-League on November 24th, snapping up B.J. Whitehead.

It's awesome how this game works sometimes.

[Izulde]

Miami Heat receive
PF Sean Bergmann

New Orleans Hornets receive
C Ryan Sweetwyne

What this means for the Heat
Miami lacked defensive big man punch on the bench and Bergmann, while not exceptional, gives the Heat an upgrade on the defensive end at reserve PF.

What this means for the Hornets
Sweetwyne never developed like Miami anticipated when they drafted him at 1.16 in 2011 and lost his starting job to Tang Zhengdong in training camp. That said, he gives New Orleans rebounding, which the Hornets greatly lacked, particularly on the bench.

Advantage: Draw
Both teams shore up a weak spot, but this isn't a dynamic trade by any means.

Orlando Magic receive
PG Brent Short

New Orleans Hornets receive
SG Joe Jupiter

What this means for the Magic
Orlando had zero PG depth to speak of before this deal and Short, while Short, gives the Magic a legitimate passing PG and a new 6th man. He also could allow for a smooth transistion from a Conley/Nelson backcourt to a Short/Conley one. Excellent free-throwing shooting and very good defense make him a great acquistion as well.

What this means for the Hornets
The Hornets, in contrast, are stacked at PG. Jupiter is roster filler, but he's also an expiring contract, unlike Short, who has three years left on his deal. The difference is only $800,000 and change, but every little bit of payroll flexibility helps, especially when the team's not likely to challenge for a playoff spot this year.

Advantage: Orlando
Big pickup for Orlando, a minor move for New Orleans.

Houston Rockets receive
PG Javaris Crittenton
Chicago Bulls 2015 2nd round pick

Chicago Bulls receive
SF Kevin Sarchet
PG Jason Zinn

What this means for the Rockets
Crittenton finally gets a chance to be a starter, something he's deserved for a long time. Houston will put him at SG for now and after Jason Terry's possible retirement or free agency defection after this season, he'll shift to PG (provided he re-signs with the Rockets himself). Just an absolute banner pickup for the Rockets, who now have a dangerous passer in their starting five again.

What this means for the Bulls
Sarchet's in his second season and the 21 year old was a second round pick of the Rockets last year (57th overall). His lone skill is good defense, which isn't a bad thing, but he's not a major improvement, either. Zinn was the Rockets 2nd round pick this year and he's so terrible, he can't even start on a D-League team.

Advantage: Houston
A new starter -and- a likely high 2nd round pick for crap is always an advantage to the team with the better starting five.

It's funny how often Crittenton's changed teams in his career. He's one of those guys that has the talent to be a legitimate NBA starter, but for one reason or another hasn't caught the right breaks until now. I wish him good luck in Houston.

Which is ironic because one of the teams we play in the back-to-back to kick off January in earnest is the Rockets. But before we play them, we bounce the Spurs 102-92 in San Antonio as Mateen Yeaton scores 33 and Dan Jacobson is briskly efficient with 12 points and 14 rebounds. Then it's Houston's turn to lose, 103-95. Mateen Yeaton continues to look much more at ease back in the SG role, scoring 32, while Dan Jacobson gets 12 points and 10 rebounds, Phillip Gill doubles off the bench with 10 points and 10 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich leads the reserves with 12 points.

Another doubleheader follows and we win both in squashes. We depose the Kings 95-72 as all five of our starters play terrific games: Mateen Yeaton first and foremost with 33 points and the other four with double-doubles, the first time that's happened with any of my teams. So congratulations to Brandon Brooks (14 points, 14 assists), Patrick Pastner (11 points, 10 rebounds), Emeka Okafor (11 points, 16 rebounds) and Dan Jacobson (15 points, 14 rebounds). Even sweeter is when we blow out the Lakers 113-98 the next night, the decimation of the Purple and Gold led by 30 points, 3 assists, 4 rebounds, 5 blocks and 5 steals from Mateen Yeaton, 22 points from Patrick Pastner, 20 points and 10 assists courtesy of Brandon Brooks and 10 bench points from Kirk Hinrich.

I worry about a letdown against Minnesota in our next game, but we crush the Timberwolves 102-80, Mateen Yeaton the top scorer with 24 points and Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson doubling with 16 points and 10 rebounds and 12 points and 12 rebounds respectively. Thabo Sefolosha surprises with a nice 10 points off the bench.

We've yet another January doubleheader next and win the first game with ease, pummeling Golden State 104-78. Mateen Yeaton is first again with 27 points and Dan Jacobson gets another double double, this one good for 12 points and 15 rebounds. But the real dagger in the heart was Kirk Hinrich's 17 points as a reserve. Unfortunately, our win streak comes an end the night after in a 95-84 loss to the Sonics in Seattle. Mateen Yeaton scored 22, but that was our only highlight of the night.

I'm not overly concerned until we lose 108-104 to Memphis at home a couple nights later. Mateen Yeaton had another 22 points, Kirk Hinrich 17 bench points, but I'm noticing an alarming trend for certain people, namely Brandon Brooks, to take a lot of ill-advised 3 point attempts, which is hurting us in games like these. Maybe Larry Brown will move Hinrich back to the starting lineup.

I feel immensely better after we inflict a 99-72 whipping on the Mavericks in Dallas. A nice, balanced attack shows off highlights of 24 points and 16 rebounds from Dan Jacobson, 14 points and 15 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, 10 points and 14 assists from Brandon Brooks and the nice icing of 10 points from Phillip Gill of the second unit.

It's a nice segue into the rest of our road trip, which involves a trek through the Central Divison cities in two sets of back-to-backs. We slaughter the Bulls 92-66 as Dan Jacobson has a torrid night of 24 points and 20 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton his second with 21 points, and eviscerate the Pistons 91-75 as Mateen Yeaton and Brandon Brooks switch up their usual roles, Yeaton the doubler with 13 points and 12 assists, Brooks the primary scorer with 21 points.

Visiting Milwaukee is always nice, as it's a short drive from my hometown of Racine, especially when we beat the Bucks, as we do in the third game of the Central road trip, 108-100. Patrick Pastner scores 26 and Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson do their doubling tandem as they so often do, Okafor with 15 points and 11 rebounds, Jacobson with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Kirk Hinrich bolsters the cause with 14 points off the bench. The next night is the most hyped game of the road trip for obvious reasons, as we're headed to Indiana. Unfortunately for the Pacers, they're way overmatched here and go down 114-93. Brandon Brooks scores 22, Dan Jacobson gets 14 points and 10 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich chips in 15 points with the second team. All five of our starters scored at least 11 points in the trouncefest.

January concludes with yet another back-to-back. We put away the Knicks 117-104 behind three players with 20+ points: Mateen Yeaton (22), Brandon Brooks (20 points, 11 assists) and Kirk Hinrich (A blistering 21 points off the bench. Throw in Emeka Okafor's 17 points and 11 rebounds and not even Carmelo Anthony's 32 points could save New York, nor could their holding Patrick Pastner to a big fat 0 points. The final game and night of the month was our toughest contest in a long time, but we eked out the 94-90 victory over the Trailblazers in Portland. Mateen Yeaton scored 32 points, Brandon Brooks garnered 12 points and 18 assists, Dan Jacobson impressed with 13 points and 22 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich sniped Portland for 13 points off the bench.

All in all, an excellent month for us, as our 34-12 record gives a six-game cushion over the 28-18 Jazz in the Northwest. More significantly, we've surged ahead in the #2 seed race, as the Mavericks are 28-16. The Lakers still hold court with a 36-7 mark, but that's to be expected and, perhaps more importantly, the Purple and Gold didn't increase their five-game lead over their closest competition for that top spot.

I'd be really worried if I was Dallas right now. Not only are they lagging in their record, but they're just a half-game ahead of last year's West Conference champions, the Grizzlies, who are determined to show last season was no fluke.

In the East, Detroit continues to defy expectations with a 34-12 record, a game ahead of the 33-13 Raptors for the top of the conference. Boston's crashed and burned to a 23-23 record, while Indiana's picked themselves back up to a 26-18 showing and are now in third place in the Central, a game and a half behind the Bucks.

Charlotte's also fallen and the Bobcats have dropped so far, in fact, that for the first time in ages, they're in second place in their divison, as the Heat had a searing January to soar to a 26-21 record, a half-game in front of 23-19 Charlotte.

The Knicks are still very much alive at 21-24, while the Cavaliers have really started to jell, moving up to 18-26 after a very nice January.

Paulinho Buboltz/Mateen Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 44 games/44 starts - 20.0 PPG 8.8 APG 3.2 RPG 0.6 BPG 1.4 SPG

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 46 games/44 starts - 21.6 PPG 4.7 APG 4.9 RPG 1.6 BPG 1.3 SPG

[Izulde]

Philadelphia 76ers receive
SF Andres Nocioni

Indiana Pacers receive
PG Maurice Williams

What this means for the 76ers
Nocioni is the very definition of mediocre, especially at age 35, but he can still play every position except for C, an important versatility for Philadelphia, which doesn't have that many players capable of handling more than two spots.

What this means for the Pacers
Williams is an end of the rotation player, but he can handle the ball and score better than most of Indiana's reserves and gives them additional depth at the guard spots, something they lost a great deal of when Tony Parker went down for the year with a torn ACL. He obviously doesn't replace Parker, but he provides insurance in case something should happen to one of their other guards.

Advantage: Indiana
Although both teams got some safety netting here, Williams is a superior player in every way to Nocioni except for versatility and that superiority of talent means more for the Pacers than average multiplicity means for the 76ers.

Detroit Pistons receive
PG Zelipe Gama

Miami Heat receive
SF Tayshaun Prince
Detroit Pistons 2015 1st round pick

What this means for the Pistons
Gama may only be only able to play the point, but he's a dynamite playmaker, giving the Pistons two terrific 23 year old PGs in Gama and Kenny Graham, the starter.

What this means for the Heat
Prince is an $8 million expiring contract, valuable in and of itself, but he also becomes the single best defender on Miami's bench, one that's able to play every spot except PG. Given how exceptionally the Pistons have been playing this year, the 1st round pick is likely a late one, but it's more ammunition to use elsewhere.

Advantage: Draw
Excellent acquistions for both teams. The trade would tilt in favor of Detroit, but they're now committing $20 million a year to two guards, one of whom is a backup and furthermore, they're being held to that for the next three years at least.

Miami Heat receive
SG Steve Neal
New Orleans Hornets 2015 2nd round pick

New Orleans Hornets receive
SF Rashard Gardener

What this means for the Heat
Miami continues to stockpile draft picks after picking up Detroit's 1st rounder in the earlier trade. Neal's stuck at the bottom of the bench, but he has some potential to develop into an excellent defender. Normally that'd be a good thing, but when you were the 6th overall pick in the draft as Neal was in 2010 by the Grizzlies, you can't help but get a bust label put on your head.

What this means for the Hornets
A lot of versatile players being traded about this month and the 23 year old, 2nd year Gardener is one of them. He can play four spots, with the exception of SG and the second round selection (taken at 2.7 by the Heat last year), shows great potential on D, much like Neal.

Advantage: Miami
The Hornets overpaid for Gardener and the Heat go from promising young defensive stopper to promising young defensive stopper, snagging a 2nd round pick in turn.

Miami Heat receive
PG Derrick Attaway

Golden State Warriors receive
SG Rupert Jones

What this means for the Heat
Third trade of the month for Miami and they replace the lost Zelipe Gama with the #6 overall pick in this year's draft in Attaway. Derrick's an average guard who doesn't appear to have much ceiling and, much more dangerously for Miami, the rookie's had well-publicized run-ins with the Warriors coaching staff and is quickly developing a reputation for laziness.

What this means for the Warriors
Jones was the Heat's first round pick in 2010 (13th overall) and thus far the 23 year old hasn't amounted to much in his four and change years in the league. He looks to have some potential to develop into a sniper, but his defense is even more porous than Attaway's, which is horrendous. Jones is also is reportedly a lazy player, but contrary to Attaway, he's an easygoing team player.

Advantage: Golden State
The Warriors deal talent for team chemistry, something that doesn't matter as their season is long since lost anyway. Meanwhile, the Heat acquire a cancer who could undo all their other hard work in building an otherwise sensational team. Golden State plays it a lot safer and so "wins" the trade, though we don't like this deal for either team.

Hell of a move by the Pistons in picking up Gama, who I coveted myself and tried to trade for when shopping Kyle Smith around. Oh well, I think we're doing pretty well for ourselves anyway.

Golden State proves that shipping out talent, no matter how mercurial, sometimes isn't a good thing as they lose by 36 points to us in February's first game (109-73). Mateen Yeaton scored 26 and Kirk Hinrich added 16 bench points as we held the Warriors to 1 of 11 (9.1%) on 3-point shooting.

We get a chance to put some more distance between us and the rest of the teams in the Northwest in a divisional doubleheader and we take full advantage in netting the sweep. The Jazz go down 101-83 as Mateen Yeaton gets 28 points and 10 rebounds, Emeka Okafor is everywhere with 10 points, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks, Brandon Brooks scores 20 and Kirk Hinrich again leads the reserves and shows my wisdom in keeping him by scoring 16 off the bench. Minnesota, who always plays us tough, nonetheless falls 88-83 in the Twin Cities as Mateen Yeaton puts up 24 points, Dan Jacobson is a board-gobbler with 15 points and 20 rebounds and Brandon Brooks is cooly efficient with 12 points and 10 assists. My boy Caron Butler dropped 20 points on us off the T-Wolves bench and he's been averaging 14 points as a part-time starter/6th man in Minnesota. Nice one-year mid-level exemption pickup he was for the Timberwolves.

Our next game gets a national television spot because it's against Kyle Smith and the Cavaliers in Cleveland. They promptly go out and embarass us in front of all America, winning 100-80 and snapping our win streak. Lebron James just missed a triple-double, finishing with an amazing 30 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals to be the one who beat us. Of course, we played like crap on our end, a couple of weak double-doubles from Emeka Okafor (10 points, 11 rebounds) and Dan Jacobson (10 points, 14 rebounds) and 12 reserve points from Kirk Hinrich our lone highlights.

Last year's team, which didn't strike me as having intenstinal fortitude, might've gone into a swoon after that loss. This year's squad goes and knocks out New Jersey 127-106, Kirk Hinrich the lead pugilist with 29 points, 14 assists and 5 rebounds off the bench. Mateen Yeaton was the flamethrower with 32 points and yeah, the Nets scored in bunches, but their bench was anemic against us.

An East Coast back-to-back completes our schedule before the All-Star break. Mateen Yeaton has one of the most amazing games I've ever seen against Atlanta: 46 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, a block and 4 steals. Needless to say, we crushed the Hawks 105-81, as Emeka Okafor did his part with 10 points and 12 rebounds and Brandon Brooks ran the offense well with 10 points and 15 assists. We head into the All-Star break on a sour note, though, shooting 35% from the floor and 15.4% from 3-point range to lose 85-78 to the Bobcats. Dan Jacobson had 10 points and 17 rebounds, Phillip Gill 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, but it was just an ugly, ugly game.

Kirk Hinrich makes it the final round of the 3-point competition, but fails to defend his title. At least he acquitted himself well on it.

The Rookies beat the Sophomores 97-81 as Ray Fields scores 23 points en route to Game MVP. Not that I really care, as no Nuggets play that game.

I do care about the All-Star Game, though, which is won by the West in a thrilling 103-102 contest. Despite the loss, East guard Gilbert Arenas was MVP with 22 points. Mateen Yeaton was named a starter for the West, finally ending years of drought for my teams. He had 8 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 5 blocks in 25 minutes. In other former players of mine news, Ben Gordon got his traditional All-Star reserve but no PT invite.

It felt like Mateen Yeaton was just relaxing and taking it easy during the All-Star game, which turns out to be good when he blisters Boston for 38 points in a 102-74 victory our first game back from the break. Patrick Pastner added 12 points and 11 rebounds.

Mateen Yeaton is on fire against in Memphis with 32 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and a steal, but everyone else plays like crap and the Grizzlies knock us around 89-77.

It's quite fortunate for Patrick Pastner that the trade deadline was the night of the Memphis game, because I noticed after reviewing the statistics that he's only broken 40% shooting from the field once in his career, his rookie year and that, while he's shooting 41% from the floor this year, he's been shooting in the 30s every other season. I would've traded him, but the deadline just passed me by.

We lose 99-90 in New Orleans despite 11 points and 15 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and 12 points, 11 assists from Brandon Brooks. I'm practically livid with the losing streak, but at the moment, there isn't really anything I can do about it.

We bounce back with a 110-79 demolition of the Hawks to end the short month, Mateen Yeaton on the prowl with 29 points and 10 rebounds. Emeka Okafor and Brandon Brooks provided excellent support with 17 points and 12 rebounds and 14 points and 15 assists respectively.

41-16 has us in front of the Northwest and the Utah Jazz by 5 games. The third-place team is Seattle, holding steady at 28-28. I'm shocked at Minnesota's 28-30 record. Yes, Kevin Garnett's 38, but he's still got game, particularly in rebounding and defense and Kelvin Moody is as good as ever.

We've narrowed the gap slightly on the Lakers, who are 44-12 and have a huge advantage in playing in the conference's weakest division. How weak is it? The Purple and Gold are 10-0 against their divisionmates and second-place Sacramento is 24-35.

Dallas and Memphis are still fighting it out for the Southwest, with the Mavericks on top by half a game at 36-20.

Toronto and Detroit are essentially tied for the top seed in the East and it's going to be one of them that gets it in all likelihood, as both enjoy at least an 11 game lead in the division (12.5 in the Raptors case). The Southeast now has the Bobcats in third place, with the Heat (34-24) on top by four games over the Magic.

Boston's regained some form and are 31-27, second place behind Toronto. The Pacers are treading water at 31-25, a half-game out of the second place spot held by the Bucks. Cleveland's meteoric play cooled off, but they still played a lot better than they have in recent years, inching up to 22-34, so we're probably going to end up looking at a later lottery pick, most likely in the 9-12 range unless the balls bounce in our favor.

New York's 27-30, which puts them tied for 3rd place in the Atlantic, the highest they've been this late in the season in years. About time all those high draft picks did something.

There's one player scoring over 30 points a game and it's not Lebron James (he's in third place). Instead, it's Nigel Abel of the Heat, a 24 year old 5th year player, taken with the 5th overall pick in the 2010 draft by the Hornets. I've mentioned before how stupid it was for New Orleans to let him go, and it's ringing even truer now that he's one of the franchise players in the league. Gilbert Arenas is second, averaging 28.1 points. Ben Gordon's fourth with a 25.3 point per game average and Mateen Yeaton is 9th with 22.6 points.

The young kids are really starting to take over the league. First Abel and then Kenny Graham, 23 years old in his 4th season, leading in assists with 12.3. Graham was taken with the 13th overall pick in 2011, who then, as reported, traded him along with a 2nd round pick to the Pistons for Rico Wolfe and Raymond Badu. Gee, who do you think won that deal?

In fact, let's pull up the trade discussion when that deal happened.


December 2013

Detroit Pistons receive
PG Kenny Graham
Golden State Warriors 2014 2nd round pick

Golden State Warriors receive
SG Rico Wolfe
SF Raymond Badu

What this means for the Pistons
Graham, 22 years old, in his 3rd season after being taken at 1.13 in 2011 by the Warriors. He was something of an attitude problem in Golden State, which is why he's being traded, but his talents are delicious. Already one of the top passers in the league, he's having a breakout season offensively, averaging 16.3 points and he's working on developing his shooting all the more. Needless to say, he instantly becomes Detroit's starting PG, something they needed. The 2nd rounder's just a small cherry for the top.

What this means for the Warriors
The 21 year old, 2nd season Wolfe is raw, but has some potential, particularly on the defensive end (taken 1.24 last year by the Pistons). He can play PG/SG/SF and may see some time thanks to that versatility. The 24 year old Badu, Detroit's 2nd rounder last year, is a throwaway type, particularly given he can only play SF.

Advantage: Detroit
Attitude problems or not, Graham has all the makings of being a star in this league and this 2 for 1 deal is extremely heavily weighted to the 1, especially when the bonus 2nd rounder looks quite high indeed.

I should've known there'd be a flurry of activity after the quiet of the first month. I'm really impressed with Detroit's ability to rob Golden State for Graham, even though he may be unhappy given that the Pistons aren't that much better than the Warriors right now.

The Pistons are definitely better now and Graham's averaging a career high 19.7 points in addition to the 12.3 assists. No attitude problems either, as he's thrilled to be on a winning team.

Two other players are in double-digit assist averages; T.J. Ford (10.8) and Dwayne Wade (10.6). Paulinho Buboltz is 6th with 9.1, Brandon Brooks 11th with 8.5.

Greg Oden is tops in rebounds at 14.5 a game, followed by three players averaging over 12 boards--Jonte Jones (12.5), Andrew Bynum (12.4), and Andrew Bogut (12.1). Dan Jacobson is 8th with 11.

Andrei Kirilenko has reasserted himself as -the- dominant blocker in the league, averaging 4.2 rejections, followed by Josh Smith in Charlotte with 3.5. Emeka Okafor is 9th with 2.9, Dan Jacobson 17th with 2.2.

For the first time in years, nobody's averaging 2 steals or more a game. Rookie Leland Peterson, the 5th overall pick of the Wizards, and Chris Paul are averaging 1.9 to lead the league.

Peterson should run away with Rookie of the Year honors, because he's not only leading the league in steals (well, tied), he's first in his class with points by a considerable margin, averaging 13.8 a game. Derrick Attaway is second with 11.6, followed by Shannon Drayton, younger brother of Minnesota Timberwolves starting PG Major Drayton, with 11.3 and Mark White rounding out double-digit scoring with 10.2 points.

Derrick Attaway is first in class assists with 5, followed by Leland Peterson with 4.4. Jimmy Johnson is tops in rookie rebounds, averaging 5.1, followed by Mark White (4.7) and Shannon Drayton (4.2).

Blocks also is headed up by Derrick Attaway (1.5), with Jimmy Johnson and Leland Peterson tied for second with 1.1 rejections. Steals is Peterson as already mentioned, but Derrick Attaway and Shannon Drayton are both averaging a swipe a game.

For our own, lone rookie, Lindsey Williamson is averaging 9.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 blocks and 0.7 steals, still starting at SF for the Colorado Timberjacks, who are 19-16 and in 2nd place in the D-League West, a game behind one of my old D-League stomping grounds, the Anaheim Cats.

Paulinho Buboltz-Mateen Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 56 games/56 starts - 19.3 PPG 9.1 APG 3.0 RPG 0.6 BPG 1.4 SPG

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 57 games/55 starts - 22.6 PPG 4.2 APG 5.2 RPG 1.6 BPG 1.4 SPG

Interesting note:
Paulinho Buboltz scored a career-high 48 points November 7th this year against the Timberwolves, while Mateen Yeaton scored his own career high of 46 points against the Hawks on the 13th of this month.

[Izulde]

Houston Rockets receive
PF Sean Bergmann
Miami Heat 2015 2nd round pick

Miami Heat receive
SF Samaki Hall

What this means for the Rockets
Bergmann's stay didn't last very long in Miami, 2 months and 10 days to be exact. He nearly doubled his minutes with the Heat, but will go back to very small amounts of PT with the Rockets and doesn't particularly strengthen Houston in any way. Bergmann, by the way, was taken with the 19th overall pick by the Pacers in the 2012 draft and hasn't shown much. Likely late 2nd round pick as well.

What this means for the Heat
Hall, in his 4th season, 26, was taken with the 26th overall pick by the Rockets in 2011. He's mediocre in just about every facet of the game, save for a sweet outside shot and good FT shooting. His greatest asset is his ability to play all 5 positions, versatility which can only help Miami as they throw different looks at opposing teams.

Advantage: Miami
Not an exciting move for either team, but Hall appears to be the greatest value in this exchange, so we'll default to the Heat as winners.

Houston Rockets receive
SG Duez Walker

Portland Trailblazers receive
SG Jermaine Stokes
Houston Rockets 2015 2nd round pick

What this means for the Rockets
Walker's a pretty good all-around player, but after an intriguing rookie year with the Nuggets (taken 23rd overall in 2012), he's been relegated to the end of the bench in Denver, then Portland and now the same in Houston. Like Bergmann, his stay with his new 2014 team was extremely brief.

What this means for the Trailblazers
Stokes isn't as polished as Walker, but he has the potential to be, particularly since he for some reason is getting the PT that Walker doesn't get. That and the icing of the 2nd rounder make this minor exchange a good one for Portland, who now has a bevy of 2nd round picks in the upcoming draft.

Advantage: Portland
The 2nd round pick is worth more than Duez's polish, particularly since Stokes is getting the opportunity to develop through playing.

Milwaukee Bucks receive
SF Courtney Jones

Phoenix Suns receive
PG JJ Alvin

What this means for the Bucks
Jones is 27, in his 5th season and a former 2nd round pick (2.7 by Atlanta in 2010). He's still got some upside, primarily as an offensive threat and could develop into a nice sparkplug off the bench.

What this means for the Suns
Alvin's 25 and in his 3rd season (taken with the 21st pick by the Bucks in 2012). He's got some very good ballhandling skills and injects the Suns' bench with backcourt youth, important when one considers that Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and Gerry McNamara are all in their 30s.

Advantage: Milwaukee
This would be a draw, except Alvin's only signed through this season, whereas Jones is signed through the next three years.

The trade deadline was surprisingly void of any activity this year, as the Bucks and Suns had the latest deal on the 16th. Of course, if I'd seen Patrick Pastner's abysmal FG shooting percentage earlier.... ah well.

Very enjoyable 99-79 victory over the Pacers to kick off March. Dan Jacobson was dominant with 22 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists and 6 blocks, Emeka Okafor had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks, while Patrick Pastner and Mateen Yeaton joined Jacobson in breaking 20 points with 23 and 21 respectively. Cherokee Waterman gave us a surprise bonus of 10 assists off the bench. Anything out of him is gold, because he was just a salary working player in the Cleveland trade.

Of course, we were helped by the fact that Ben Gordon joined Tony Parker in street clothes after breaking his toe February 24th. The Pacers season could take a downturn in a hurry with both those guys out. I mean, Nate Robinson is now the starting SG for crying out loud.

Mateen Yeaton scores 30 as we put away the Clippers 114-105 on the road. Brandon Brooks doubles with 14 points and 19 assists and Kirk Hinrich contributes 11 points to lead the reserves. I really love our guard play these days.

28 points from Mateen Yeaton, 18 points and 11 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and Kirk Hinrich's 10 bench points are enough to keep the winning alive, 104-92 over the Traiblazers. I can't help but wonder what Portland would look like if they actually had a bench worth talking about, as their starting five, even sans Brandon Brooks, is still very good.

Having a long stretch of days off always makes me nervous and we show why in coming out flat in a 105-86 loss to San Antonio to snap our victory parade. Mateen Yeaton scores 32, but our defense takes a nap and even 12 points and 13 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and 10 points and 10 boards out of Dan Jacobson can't overcome that we got ravaged by the Spurs starting five, including 23 points and 10 rebounds from Tyrone Dotson, he who got the fat check to re-sign with San Antonio. We come back to life on the end of the back-to-back though, whipping the Suns 105-88. Mateen Yeaton has one of his great all-around games with 28 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks and 4 steals, Emeka Okafor grabs 15 points and 13 rebounds and Brandon Brooks fires it up with 17 points and 11 assists.

Mateen Yeaton singlehandedly declaws the Bobcats with 32 points, although credit's due to Brandon Brooks's 29 points and Phillip Gill's 10 bench points as well in the 112-99 thrashing.

Mile High Denver turns into the Great White North Pole as both teams shoot 37% in our next game, a home contest versus the Clippers. Superior rebounding netted the Red and White the 91-79 victory. Our lone player of worthy note was Brandon Brooks with 23 points.

The ice melts against the Bucks and we come back for the 95-75 win, Mateen Yeaton scoring 24, Emeka Okafor liking 15 enough to have 15 points and 15 rebounds and Brandon Brooks directing the offense with 12 points and 13 assists.

The homestand continues with a 103-92 victory over the Wizards. Patrick Pastner leads the way with 25 points, Dan Jacobson doubles with 13 points and 10 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich is tsunami off the bench with 20 points.

We have five games in a row at home for this stretch and it's the fourth game that proves the sweetest, a 113-107 triumph against the Lakers. Patrick Pastner scores 22 points, Mateen Yeaton does even better with 36 points, Brandon Brooks gets 12 points and 15 assists and Thabo Sefolosha is the shiny sparkplug with 14 bench points. Pretty impressive considering Dan Jacobson's limited in his effectiveness by a knee injury. And this was with 35 points and 15 rebounds from Andrew Bynum and 16 bench points from Vince Carter. So it makes me feel good about matching up with the Lakers in the postseason, if it comes to that.

The last game of our homestand is a 93-82 victory over the Kings, keyed by 20 points from Patrick Pastner and some hot bench play of 11 and 10 points respectively from Kirk Hinrich and Cherokee Waterman. Waterman's still way overpaid, but at least he's been making some contributions. A 4-1 showing in the five-game home stretch is pretty good and honestly what I expected, particularly given we were playing the Purple and Gold for one of those games.

Then we get lazy on the road and flat out suck against the Suns in losing 105-89. Mateen Yeaton scored 21 and Phillip Gill topped the reserves with 10 rebounds, but it was just a wretched game. Not cool at all.

We lose by one single mother-fing point in OT against the Jazz (116-115). Deron Williams violates us for 42 points, completely negating 28 points from Mateen Yeaton, 26 points and 11 assists from Brandon Brooks and 11 points with the second team from Kirk Hinrich. UGH with a capital U-G-H. Our chance at the top seed probably just vanished with those two losses.

At least we sweep the back-to-back to end the month, beating the Spurs 99-80 and the Trailblazers 106-99. San Antonio couldn't stop Mateen Yeaton (33 points) or Patrick Pastner (27 points), who had great support from Emeka Okafor (12 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks) and Brandon Brooks (10 points, 11 assists). Our victory in Portland was more of a team effort with 27 points from Mateen Yeaton, 20 from Patrick Pastner, 19 points and 10 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, 11 points and 16 assists from Brandon Brooks and two bench players in double-digit scoring: Phillip Gill (10 points) and Steven Caspers (11 points).

52-20. 10 games left in the year and nothing's for sure, except that the Lakers have long since clinched the Pacific with a 56-16 record (the second place Kings are a preposterous 26 games back). Utah is chasing at our heels, just four games behind, while the Grizzlies have overtaken the Mavericks by 2.5 games and are 47-24 atop the Southwest.

Nine teams with winning records with those 10 games (roughly speaking) left to go. Right now, it's the Timberwolves at 37-36, who would be going home. Like I said, the Northwest is a brutal division, with only Portland (31-41) holding a losing record.

In the East, Toronto's clinched the Atlantic at 55-17 and the Pistons have done the same in the Central with a 52-20 mark. Miami's leading the Southeast at 41-33, but the Magic and Bobcats are 2.5 and 4 games back respectively, so I wouldn't count them out yet.

Indiana's fallen apart since Ben Gordon went out and are 34-37, in danger of missing the playoffs. The Knicks are 34-37 as well, ironically, while the Cavaliers just exploded, racking up 9 wins this month to improve to 31-40. Not cool at all for our 1st round pick hopes. If they continue to stay hot, Cleveland could force us to a late lottery pick, or worse yet, actually make the playoffs.

[Izulde]

Things kick off splendidly with a back-to-back road sweep. Our defense puts a stranglehold on the Grizzlies in a 90-73 win that all but guarantees us the second seed and Mateen Yeaton does the heavy lifting on offense with 28 points. Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson net double-doubles of 15 points and 17 rebounds and 10 points and 13 rebounds respectively to further tighten the clamps on Memphis. The Hornets are crushed 116-74, Patrick Pastner the main exterminator with 28 points and 10 rebounds. Helping him were Mateen Yeaton (26 points), Emeka Okafor (12 points, 10 rebounds), Brandon Brooks (11 points, 10 assists), Phillip Gill (11 bench points) and Steven Caspers (10 bench points).

I smell a trap in the first game of our next back-to-back, as we're on the road in Minnesota and the Timberwolves are fighting for their playoff lives. Unfortunately for the T-Wolves, we shoot a 101-75 silver bullet in their hearts, Kirk Hinrich taking over with 22 points off the bench after Mateen Yeaton played scanty minutes due to foul trouble. Dan Jacobson had 11 points and 12 rebounds and Phillip Gill got 10 bench points for his second consecutive double-digit scoring game. Seattle gives us a tougher time of it the next night, but we prevail 99-85 on the strength of Mateen Yeaton's 20 points, 18 points and 11 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and all five startings reaching at least 11 points, the lowest one being Brandon Brooks, who made up for those 11 points with 17 terrific assists.

We guarantee ourselves of finishing no worse than .500 in the final 10 games by knocking out Golden State 104-85. Patrick Pastner leads all scorers with 29 points, Mateen Yeaton is just off that with 25 points and Phillip Gill and Kirk Hinrich lead the reserves with 10 and 11 points respectively.

A rematch against the Hornets sees a 107-74 blowout that runs us to 6-0 and guarantees a winning record for the last phase. Mateen Yeaton does it all by himself practically in scoring 38 points, Steven Caspers this game's top reserve with 10 points.

The first game of the ensuing doubleheader worries me, as we're against the revenge-hungry Grizzlies. But it's another stunning slaughter, 101-72. Mateen Yeaton scores 29, Emeka Okafor gets 10 points and 16 rebounds and Dan Jacobson abuses Memphis for 18 points, 15 rebounds and 6 blocks. Our closest game in a long time comes against the Rockets the subsequent evening, but despite Emeka Okafor's goose egg, Mateen Yeaton, Brandon Brooks and Patrick Pastner all hit 20 points or more with 26, 21 and 20 respectively, carrying us to a 102-94 win and an 8-0 mark in the final slate.

One more back-to-back. Can we reach perfection? The Suns burn and burn in Phoenix, doing their damndest to scar our undefeated mark, but they fall just short, losing 98-94. Brandon Brooks fends them off with 18 points and 15 assists, while Emeka Okafor and Dan Jacobson play the inverse game with 10 points and 12 rebounds and 12 points and 10 rebounds respectively. Kirk Hinrich does his usual scoring off the bench with 13 points. The Trailblazers go down with barely a whimper, 87-73. Mateen Yeaton leads both teams with 23 points, Patrick Pastner scores 21 and double-doubles come courtesy of Dan Jacobson's 12 points and 11 rebounds and Brandon Brooks's 13 points and 11 assists. Our best reserve? Surprise, surprise, Kirk Hinrich with 11 points.

But was our incredible 10-0 run, 12-game winning streak altogether, enough to get us the #1 seed?

After our victory, we don't know.

We're 62-20.

The Lakers are 61-20.

The Purple and Gold beats the Trailblazers 96-89. Now they're 62-20, too.

Now who wins the tiebreaker?

I don't know, but until I do know, here are the top teams in each conference by record.

West Conference (with Predicted Tiebreakers)
1. Los Angeles Lakers (62-20)
2. Denver Nuggets (62-20)
3. Memphis Grizzlies (52-30)
4. Utah Jazz (52-30)
5. Dallas Mavericks (49-33)
6. San Antonio Spurs (45-37)
7. Houston Rockets (44-38)
8. Minnesota Timberwolves (42-40)

Those aren't easy 7 and 8 seeds by any means and it's hard to say which one I would rather face.

East Conference (with Projected Tiebreakers)
1. Toronto Raptors (63-19)
2. Detroit Pistons (59-23)
3. Miami Heat (45-37)
4. Boston Celtics (43-39)
5. Milwaukee Bucks (43-39)
6. Orlando Magic (43-39)
7. Philadelphia 76ers (41-41)
8. Charlotte Bobcats (41-41)

Looks like a weak field for the Raptors to just breeze right through.

The Knicks missed out on the playoffs by only a couple games, finishing 39-43, their best showing in literally years. Cleveland finished 33-49, which gives them either the 7th or 8th worst record, depending on how their tiebreaker goes with the Hawks. I'll definitely take a Top 10 pick, with a fair shot at moving up.

Nigel Abel was our only 30+ point per game scorer this year with 31, and having him and Dwayne Wade in the same backcourt will make them dangerous in the playoffs. Gilbert Arenas was second with 27.8, Ben Gordon 4th with 24.8, Mateen Yeaton 6th with 23.2.

Three players in double-digit assists: Kenny Graham (11.9), Dwayne Wade (10.8) and T.J. Ford (10.5). Brandon Brooks finished 6th with 9 even, Paulinho Buboltz 8th with 8.7.

Greg Oden ran around with the rebounding title at 15.1 boards per game. Jonte Jones and Andrew Bynum tied for second with 12.3. Dan Jacobson was 14th with 10.4.

Andrei Kirilenko resoundly returned to 4 blocks a game average with 4.2 and two players averaged more than 3 rejections a game: Josh Smith (3.4) and Kelvin Moody (3.0). Emeka Okafor was 9th with 2.5.

Rookie Leland Peterson captured the steals title outright with 1.9 a game. The others don't even merit mention, in my opinion.

A lot of attrition in the rookie points category. Leland Peterson won the rookie average title with ease with 13.4 points a game. Shannon Drayton was the only other rookie to finish above 10 points per game with 11.1.

Leland Peterson took the first-year assists title, too, with 4.4, Derrick Attaway second with 4.1. Jimmy Johnson got the highest rebounds per game as a rookie with 4.8, followed by Shannon Drayton with 4.1. Mark White just missed out on 4 rebounds a game with 3.9.

Blocks went to Derrick Attaway with 1.2 a game, but Leland Peterson was right behind with 1.1 and Jimmy Johnson just behind LP with a block a game even.

You already know who won rookie steals, but Shannon Drayton also had over a swipe per game with 1.2.

If Leland Peterson doesn't win Rookie of the Year, the voters are on crack. He not only won every rookie category save for two, he led the league in average steals and the two rookie categories he didn't win, he was 5th (rebounds) and 2nd (blocks).

Speaking of rookies, Lindsey Williamson completed the D-League regular season averaging 9.9 points, 6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 blocks and 0.9 steals. The Timberjacks made it to the postseason as the #2 seed in the West, where they'll be playing Los Angeles in the first round.

Congratulations, Lindsey! He's also reportedly made considerable strides in his game and should be able to compete for a legitimate bench spot next season.

And then the news comes back.

The Denver Nuggets are the #1 seed in the West!!!!!

[Barkeep49]

Whoo!

[Izulde]

Whoo!

Whoo indeed. That's another milestone I can tack on to my GM resume. :)

[Izulde]

This is the first time since I've carried an NBA team to a #1 seed and there's a ton of pressure that comes with the top ranking. Even more so in this year's case, when the media says it should've been the Lakers who received first billing, even though they were upset in the first round last year by the Kings.

And yet, I feel really, really good about this team. Are we good enough to win the title? Well, I don't know about that. I mean, there's still the Raptors in the East, hungry to avenge themselves of narrowly losing the chance to defend their title last season and the West has a number of good teams in the playoffs this year.

But I think there's a good chance we can maybe get back to the Finals...

"The smartest thing GM Jestor did was to trade away Kyle Smith to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Probable Top 10 pick in the next draft and extra 2017 1st rounder aside, shifting Smith allowed Mateen Yeaton to move to his natural SG position and ushered in the era of Brandon Brooks at PG. The offense flourished under the change and the defense was particularly effective for most of the season. Denver ended the year on a 12-game winning streak to steal the top seed away from the Lakers and they're on fire right now.

But one certainly can't discount the Timberwolves, not when Minnesota has traditionally played Denver tough and not when the T-Wolves are hungry to avenge late-season embarassments and replicate Sacramento's feat last season.

Point Guard
Brandon Brooks vs. Major Drayton
Brooks is a clockwork 11-12 point, 9 assist average guy in the regular season year in and year out. He runs the Nuggets offense extremely well and is a very good defender. The big question: How will he react to the glare of the playoff spot? His last and only postseason appearance was in 2009 with Portland and he was extremely underwhelming in the five-game opening round loss.

Drayton's a lot like Brooks, with two noticeable exceptions. First, he's nowhere near as good a defender, though he does have playmaking ability with stealing the ball that Brooks doesn't have. Secondly, he's proven that he can be a solid playoff performer, a trait that makes this position matchup much more even than it might otherwise be.

Advantage: Draw

Shooting Guard
Mateen Yeaton vs. Monta Ellis
Yeaton showed off a consistency this year that he's lacked in previous seasons and the All-Star starter looks particularly intense and focused. While his defense is generally considered average, his ability to steal the ball and his 6'8 height that gives him the major advantage in shotblocking make Mateen dangerous on the defensive end. But after averaging a disappointing 18.8 points in last year's playoffs, he has to prove that he can be a true postseason warrior.

Ellis averaged a career high 16.2 points a game in the regular season, but he's clearly outclassed in every way against Yeaton. Unlike last year, when the Nuggets star had to go up against good one-on-one defenders in San Antonio's Joe Johnson and Dallas's Josh Howard, Ellis is only average and furthermore, gives up 5 inches to Yeaton.

Advantage: Denver

Small Forward
Patrick Pastner vs. Kevin Garnett
Pastner drew a lot of fire for his poor shot selection in recent years, with the result that he focused on improving it this season and had career highs in points per game with 16.1 and FG % with 41.2. He's a very good all-around player, but not really exceptional in any area, either.

At 38 years old, Garnett's lost a few steps and averaged a career-worst 13.1 points in the regular season. But don't count KG out, as he's still a sharp defender with excellent rebounding technique and, unlike Pastner, he knows how to be patient with his shots. He likely can't take over a game anymore like he could in his prime, but underestimate him at your own peril.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Kelvin Moody
Okafor's role in the Nuggets offense is clearly defined: Play exceptional defense, gobble up rebounds, block shots and if you get some points, great. Okafor just missed a double-double this year, averaging 10.9 points and a career-high 9.6 rebounds. He's going to be an important part of Denver's interior defense.

There's no question Moody's one of the biggest stars in the league at 25. He averaged 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3 blocks in the regular season, besting Okafor's 2.5 average rejections. He's a prolific scorer and has taken over Garnett as Minnesota's primary offensive option. In addition, he's one of the best rebounders in the league. His defense is above average, but nowhere near Okafor's brilliance.

Advantage: Minnesota

Center
Dan Jacobson vs. Kyle Jordan
10.4 was a magical number for Jacobson this year, as he averaged both 10.4 points and 10.4 rebounds in the regular season, his second straight season of a double-double average. He's an excellent defender and shotblocker, a very good rebounder, and, more frighteningly for Denver's opponents, he continues to work hard at improving his offensive game, even though the averaged out numbers don't necessarily show it.

Jordan's a great shotblocker that uses his burly size (282 lbs) and great technique to make up for his lack of height at 6'9", is a very good rebounder in his own right and finds ways to score points around the rim, having averaged 10 points a game for the past three seasons. That said, he's still much shorter than the 7'3 Jacobson, even if he is bigger in terms of proportion (Jacobson weighs in at 290) and he's merely average on defense.

Advantage: Denver

Bench
Kirk Hinrich averaged 6.7 points, but the number's misleading, as he was an end of the bench player while Kyle Smith is on the team. He's one of the best 6th men in the league and could start at either guard spot for a vast number of teams. He's an offensive sparkplug, both in terms of points and in running the offense. Phillip Gill still hasn't fulfilled his considerable potential, but the 22 year old 4th year player shows flashes of brilliance, particularly in scoring and rebounding, to keep hoping that he'll reach it someday. Thabo Sefolosha and Steven Caspers are the stoppers on the bench. Sefolosha, much-loved by the Nuggets front office for years, is a proven playoff performer, while Caspers is one of the most underrated reserves in the NBA, able to play good defense and provide an occasional outpouring of points.

Former Nugget Caron Butler and fellow Racinian to Denver GM Jestor averaged a breathtaking 13.8 points a game and can play every postion except C. He's a skilled ballthief and plays good defense as well. Jarrod Owens is arguably the best defender in the league not starting and Bobby Simmons is another very good, versatile defender.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
The problem for Minnesota is that it appears they don't have enough offense. Kelvin Moody will get his points and Kevin Garnett could do well with the motivation that his career's in its twilight, but outside of those two and Caron Butler, there's really nowhere to generate the points needed to overcome a glaring mismatch at SG, where the Nuggets just happen to have their best shooter in Mateen Yeaton or the ability of Patrick Pastner and Brandon Brooks to at any time cut loose with a barrage of 20 points. And then there's the problem at C, where Kyle Jordan is going to have a hellish series against Dan Jacobson. While the Timberwolves have the defensive ability on the bench to reduce Denver's reserves to a trickle offensively, the disparity in the starting fives is simply too much.
Prediction: Denver in 5

I'm glad they think we'll do so well. To be honest, I have to say this matchup does generally favor us and maybe this series can be a confidence booster for Mateen Yeaton.

Game One
Awful. Simply awful. When 2 of your starters score 5 points or less, you know it's going to be a long night. And it was, even though Mateen Yeaton scored 21 and Kirk Hinrich added 15 points off the bench. Major Drayton shredded us for 28 points and 12 assists, Kyle Jordan embarrased Dan Jacobson with 21 points and 10 rebounds, Kelvin Moody netted 17 points and 12 rebounds and Caron Butler finished off the beating with 11 points as the leading Timberwolf reserve. This is probably the most god-awful game I've ever seen any of my teams play in the postseason.
Final - Minnesota 104 Denver 86

Game Two
We'd better snap out of it here. Leaving Denver with a 2-0 hole would put a huge crimp in our plans to show we deserve the top seed. Monta Ellis scores 22 points and Kyle Jordan continues to look ridiculously good with 13 points and 16 rebounds, but our defense otherwise shuts Minnesota down. Patrick Pastner double-doubled with 15 points and 10 rebounds and Mateen Yeaton led us with 19 points, but the real key to this victory was holding the Timberwolves to 37.2% shooting and having all five starters score at least 10 points. A critical series evener, to be sure.
Final - Minnesota 76 Denver 91

Game Three
After how iffy we've played at home, I'm dreading the Target Center. What follows is the closest game of the series thus far, the Timberwolves feeding off the home crowd for a furious fourth quarter rally. Monta Ellis scored 25, Major Drayton dished out 10 points and 13 assists and Kelvin Moody highlighted with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Minnesota also held 3 of our starters to under 10 points and no Denver subs scored double-digits. So how did it end, you ask? Mateen Yeaton took over and had his finest postseason hour, rising above them all for 31 points and Brandon Brooks was his faithful sidekick with 20 points and 10 assists. We withstood the T-Wolf rage and came away with a momentum-changing four-point victory and the series lead.
Final - Denver 98 Minnesota 94

Game Four
The beauty of our backcourt continued, Mateen Yeaton scoring a masterful 30 points, but the real breathtaking performance was that of Utah Sixer Brandon Brooks, who orchestrated a near triple-double of 24 points, 13 assists, 9 rebounds, a block and a steal. They were the court-dancing pair, the celestial great ones on this starry night, as the only other noteworthy performance on either side was 15 points by Caron Butler as the Timberwolves 6th man. Two heroes accomplishing great things on their quest for playoff redemption, three Denver victories and just one more win needed to close out the round.
Final - Denver 97 Minnesota 85

In the rest of the playoff landscape, Toronto dispatches traditional playoff upstart Charlotte in four games and the Utah Jazz guarantee an all-Northwest second round by strangling our old nemesis, the Dallas Mavericks, in a surprising sweep. Of the rest, I dare not speak at this time.

Game Five
A wolf, when cornered, will put up the sort of fight that imperils the life of its opponent. Now imagine an entire pack of Timberwolves fighting for their playoff lives and for Kevin Garnett's quest for a ring. Kelvin Moody was brilliant with 19 points, 18 rebounds and 6 blocks, Monta Ellis had his third 20+ point game of the series with 24, Major Drayton landed 13 points and 10 assists and Jarrod Owens provided 12 points off the bench. Minnesota led us for three quarters of play and things looked headed for a Game 6, maybe even a Game 7. But Brandon Brooks would not brook that, scoring 22 points in the game and Phillip Gill picked the perfect time to break out with a 12 point, 10 rebound cavalry performance. We thundered back in the fourth quarter of play and broke the state of Minnesota's heart in stealing victory by a single point. So much for a Timberwolf miracle. We, the Nuggets, long for our golden glory and will let no one stop us.
Final - Minnesota 91 Denver 92

The defending champion Celtics betray their fluke title by falling to the Bucks in five, but that result and our own triumph over the Timberwolves mean nothing.

Because the world is asking one question.

Whither the lustre once the birthright of the Purple and Gold?

The Lakers, long considered the NBA's royalty, are dethroned again, upset for the second consecutive season in the first round. The Rockets take off for the 4-1 upset, leaving the Lakers organization, their fans, and the basketball world to ponder if the ages of Showtime I and II majesty are now merely cobwebbed history.

All the other series go to the full limit. Miami beats Orlando in seven games and I'm shocked it took the Heat that long, considering how heavily favored they were. Detroit, who I thought a humongous paper tiger, just barely edge past the 76ers. And finally, San Antonio pulls off the upset in knocking out the defending West conference champion Grizzlies.

Even with the Lakers gone, the road ahead is not going to be easy. But I can sleep tonight knowing we avoid one of our two mortal enemies in the second round.

[Autumn]

Wow, a really exciting season. It seems you've got all your puzzle pieces this time, including some great team chemistry and defense.

Yeaton seems to have really lit up the second half of the season, I wonder what his points average was for the second half? Seemed to really ramp up. His good play in the first series suggests maybe he's ready for primetime now.

[Izulde]

Wow, a really exciting season. It seems you've got all your puzzle pieces this time, including some great team chemistry and defense.

Yeaton seems to have really lit up the second half of the season, I wonder what his points average was for the second half? Seemed to really ramp up. His good play in the first series suggests maybe he's ready for primetime now.

Yeah, the season was a little depressing starting out and then got more gloomy until I ditched Smith. It's amazing how well we turned things around after that deal.

I'm not sure what his PPG were for the second half, but you're right, Yeaton really did turn it around. Again, I think part of that was because of the Smith deal and him going back to SG.

As for the playoffs, he did average 22.6 points a game in his last postseason with Indiana, so he's certainly capable of it... but that's been the only time he's averaged 20 points or more in the playoffs.

This is a really fun team right now and I'm going to enjoy the rest of the playoffs, no matter where we finally end up. :)

[Izulde]

Exciting news from the D-League playoffs, where the Timberjacks clobbered the Sea Dogs 93-77 despite a heroic 30 points from Andrew Clay, a 27 year old former 1st round pick of the Spurs (23rd overall in 2010 draft). Clay for some reason is listed as having 0 years of experience, even though he played very sparingly for the Spurs and Hawks from 2010-2014 and also played in the D-League each season. Lindsey Williamson did well in the victory: 6/12 for 12 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block. So the Timberjacks go on to the conference championship.

Utah's an interesting opponent. They've had some measure of success, making the playoffs in 2007, 2009 (won the Northwest Division), 2013 and this season, but as I can't find my playoff records, I'm not sure how far they've advanced each year. (OOC Note to Self: Suggest Playoff History in Alamanac)

We've never played them in the postseason since I've been here, unlike the Mavericks, who we would've faced had the Jazz lost.

But enough of me rambling. I'll let my favorite press do the talking.

"And so the Nuggets will have to continue fighting through its own division on their quest for renewed glory. The Jazz look impressive in sweeping Dallas and Utah's said to have a chip on its shoulder after all the criticism they received for letting David Anyan go in free agency.

Utah also looked good in the regular season against Denver, but most of their success was when Kyle Smith still wore a Nuggets uniform. Denver's restored team chemistry and strong play since then mean that a much closer look at the matchups are required.

Point Guard
Brandon Brooks vs. A.J. Dunkley
Brooks was incredible in the opening series, exorcising the ghosts of his other, lone playoff series with Portland by averaging 17.4 points, 8.8 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2 steals. He and Mateen Yeaton have an instinctual understanding and awareness of each other on the court and have become the best backcourt in the West. GM Jestor said in an interview before the first game of the postseason that had he still been the Knicks GM in 2008, he would've passed on Ronny Smith and Kelvin Moody to take Brooks. Now that Jestor has his man, we're starting to see why.

Dunkley is a phenomenal passer with good ballhandling and terrific ball-stealing abilities. 23 years old, taken by the Jazz with the 9th pick in the 2011 draft, he's been improving his offensive game and production each year and could be one of the better PGs in the league in another year or two. The weak spot is his medicore defense. Against a player as hot as Brooks, that spells trouble. Dunkley averaged 14.5 points and 6.8 assists against the Mavericks.

Advantage: Denver

Shooting Guard
Mateen Yeaton vs. Deron Williams
Another postseason demon banisher, Yeaton averaged 23.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 1.6 blocks against Minnesota and appears to have finally hurdled the mountain in his path. Or was it merely a function of having a pedestrian defender guarding him in the opening round?

There'll be a partial answer as Williams is a little bit better than average, but not necessarily good defender. What Williams -does- bring is excellent passing skills and a good shot, along with a 20.4 points per game in the regular season, the first time in his career he's reached the hallowed 20 point average mark. However, he wasn't very involved against Dallas, averaging 16.5 points, 4.8 assists and 2 steals. If the Jazz want to win, Deron's going to have to step it up in scoring, a task that may be a tall order, as he, like Monta Ellis in the last round, surrenders 5 inches to Yeaton.

Advantage: Denver

Small Forward
Patrick Pastner vs. Andrei Kirilenko
Pastner averaged 12.8 points, 6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and a block versus Minnesota, precisely the kind of all-around game the Nuggets anticipate from him, although Denver would like to see more points out of him and a better shooting percentage than 39.3.

That's not likely to happen against 6-time Defensive Player of the Year Kirilenko, who's had a surprising outpouring of offense in averaging 16.3 points, 7 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 3.3 blocks against Dirk Nowitzki of the Mavericks. The Russian's going to make Pastner's life hell and shut down one of Denver's bigger offensive weapons.

Advantage: Utah

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Carlos Boozer
Okafor contributed just 6.2 points a game against Minnesota, but as we've said before, his role is defense and rebounding and he did a good job of that in the opening series, averaging 8.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 2 blocks against Timberwolf superstar Kelvin Moody.

He'll have another offensive powerhouse to shut down in Boozer, who's a fantastic shooter and a very good rebounder, averaging a team-high 21.8 points and 12.5 rebounds in the Dallas series. That said, Boozer is turnover-prone and, like Williams, has only slightly above average defense and any extra offense Denver can generate out of Okafor is that much better for the Nuggets, especially with Pastner liable to be shut down.

Advantage: Utah

Center
Dan Jacobson vs. Andris Biedrins[/u]
For all Jacobson's heralded defense and shotblocking abilities, the undersized Kyle Jordan made him look downright silly at several points during the opening round. However, Jacobson did still see his way through to 12.4 points, 9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks in the first series. But there's now lingering questions about whether Jacobson can be a productive postseason player, especially since these totals represent career highs.

Biedrins was once a marquee signing for the Nuggets, but he was shipped off two months into the season to the Jazz for Mehmet Okur and Utah's 2014 2nd round pick. He's got great rebounding skills, but he's been a terrible disappointment offensively, has subpar ballhandling and is another one of Utah's slightly above average, but not truly good defenders. The only reason Biedrins averaged 11 points, 10.5 rebounds, a steal and 2.3 blocks against Dallas (and indeed, the only reason Utah swept the series), was because Jonte Jones broke his finger in the opening game. All of that said, Andris does have the size at 7', 240 lbs to go toe-to-toe with Jacobson.

Advantage: Denver

Bench
It's hard to get a read on the Nuggets reserves because of the terrific defenders Minnesota had on their bench, but Kirk Hinrich averaged 7 points a game and Phillip Gill made his presence felt with 6.8 points and 6.4 rebounds, throwing in close to a block a game besides.

At 36, Mike Bibby isn't the textbook PG he once was. But what he is, is an explosive 6th man the equally offensively of fellow aging PG Kirk Hinrich. He averaged 11.8 points and 4.5 assists versus Dallas and will play a key role in this series as well. Unfortunately for Utah, he's the only bench player really worthy of mention.

Advantage: Denver

Final Thoughts
On paper, this is looking like a possible Denver sweep. But Andrei Kirilenko will singlehandedly create major hassles for the Nuggets offensive scheme and Deron Williams, a far more accomplished player than Monta Ellis, should have a dynamite series against the average defender himself Mateen Yeaton. It won't be a sweep, but in the end, Denver's depth gives them the edge.
Prediction: Denver in 6

At least we're still favored.

Game One
After our opening loss against Minnesota, I've learned to take nothing for granted. It was a pretty good, pretty scrappy game. Utah got 10 points and 20 rebounds out of Andris Biedrins, 20 points and 10 assists out of A.J. Dunkley and 15 bench points from Mike Bibby. But it wasn't enough, as Mateen Yeaton scored 26, Emeka Okafor bulldozed his way to 13 points and 10 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich countered Bibby with 16 bench points of his own, netting us a comfortable win.
Final - Utah 81 Denver 97[/i]

Game Two
This is the best defensive game we've played all season, holding the Jazz to 31.2% shooting. Andris Biedrins was the lone Utah highlight with 12 points and 16 rebounds and was more than matched by Mateen Yeaton's 27 points, 4 assists, 4 rebounds, 5 blocks and 4 steals, to say nothing of 21 points and 11 rebounds from Emeka Okafor. Utah's definitely looking drained out there as we take the easy 2-0 lead.
Final - Utah 72 Denver 95

Game Three
If the Jazz are going to get back in this, they need to show some life here. A victory is extremely important yes, but far more critical than even that is to illustrate some ability to even keep a game close before their home crowd. Deron Williams puts up 26 points, A.J. Dunkley scores 20 and Carlos Boozer gets 17 points and 11 rebounds, but even the revival of their top three players isn't enough, as Emeka Okafor continues his amazing series with 17 points and 16 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton scores 21 and we get enough points from everyone else, including a nice 19 from Patrick Pastner to win by a surprisingly large margin and push the Jazz to the edge of elimination.
Final - Denver 98 Utah 84

Game Four
If the Jazz play out of their minds, they can avoid the sweep, but honestly, with as flat as they've looked all series, I don't see that happening. And it doesn't, as we not only hold Utah to 37.2% shooting, but Mateen Yeaton has an absolutely amazing 41 points to deliver the big knockout blow. Dan Jacobson finally stepped up with 12 points and 16 rebounds and Kirk Hinrich topped it off with 10 bench points. The Jazz starters were just terrible, so much so that two bench players were the only, lonely Utah highlights; Mike Bibby with 13 points in 8 minutes and Taj Gray with 10 points.

It's a satisfying sweep, although I'm a little concerned that Brandon Brooks didn't have a breakout game and our bench didn't dominate nearly as much as I thought it would. On the other hand, Mateen Yeaton looks positively inspired out there and Emeka Okafor's got that fire in his eyes as well.

San Antonio beats the Rockets in 5 games, setting up the Western Conference final matchup I most didn't want outside of the Lakers. We've beaten the Spurs in the playoffs before, but they're always hell to play against.

Detroit pulls off a major stunner in upsetting the Heat in 5 games as well. Although technically not an upset due to seeding, with the Pistons the #2 team, betting was heavy on Miami due to Dwayne Wade and Nigel Abel on the Heat.

But that's nothing compared to the buzz generated by the Raptors/Bucks series.

Milwaukee shocked everyone by jumping out to a 3-1 series lead on Toronto. The Raptors responded as I thought they would, clawing their way back to force a Game 7.

But then the Bucks, largely a collection of unsung heroes, hold Greg Oden to just 3 points and frustrate the Raptors all night in an incredible, home-crowd embarassing, 94-82 victory to pull off the playoffs' biggest upset.

Chris Bosh went on such a tirade in an interview after the game (He scored 10 points off the bench), that the betting pool is officially open as to where he'll end up next season. He's been complaining bitterly all year about being forced to the 6th man role and there are rumors that his unhappiness about David Anyan's arrrival and disruption of the Raptor lineup wrecked Toronto's chemistry.

Ironically enough, Anyan was the only Raptor to reach 20 points in Game 7, scoring 23 and grabbing 9 rebounds. On the other hand, he turned the ball over 5 times.

It's going to be one of hell of an East Conference Finals matchup betweeen the two Central teams.

[Izulde]

It feels good to be back in the West Conference Finals and I do think we've got a chance to advance for a try at it all.

No such luck for Lindsey Willamson's Timberjacks, as the Anaheim Cats came from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Colorado 84-81. You can't blame Williamson for the loss; he was 7/11 for 14 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and a steal. Just a very good year for him overall, though I'm inclined to think he'll be back in the D-League next season, as I don't quite see him as being there yet.

So all eyes are on us now in the Nuggets organization. And rightfully so.

"The Nuggets are finally back in the Western Conference finals and they've done it despite having just one player who's played as much as three full seasons in Denver (Dan Jacobson). It's a testament to just how shrewd GM Jestor was in the total remake of the Denver roster and his foresight in letting George Karl fly straight into the hell of professional basketball known as the Knicks and signing Larry Brown, a head coach far more suited to the young Nuggets.

The battle with the Spurs promises to be an exciting one, as the two teams have a considerable stretch of playoff history since Jestor's arrival in Denver. No matter who wins, it's likely to be a close, thrilling series.

Point Guard
Brandon Brooks vs. Julian Wright
Brooks wasn't as explosive against Utah as he was versus Minnesota, but don't let that fool you. He's still averaging 14.6 points, 8.3 assists and 2.1 steals in the playoffs and to leave him unchecked is to invite danger.

San Antonio continues to insist on the ill-suited Wright as their PG. Sure, he's a defensive stalwart and his 6'8 body creates matchup nightmares for the opposition, but he can't pass very well, nor shoot efficiently, in spite of what his 11.1 points, 6.6 assists and 1.2 blocks in the playoffs might say.

Advantage: Denver

Shooting Guard
Mateen Yeaton vs. Joe Johnson
Yeaton has been electrifying in this playoffs, averaging a breathtaking 25.9 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.8 blocks. He appears to have finally broken through the difficulties he had in previous seasons and, should Denver make it to the Finals or win it all, he stands a very good chance of being named Playoff MVP.

On the other hand, Johnson shackled Yeaton all during their series last year and he has the ability to do it again. He's also averaging 20.6 points, 5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.3 steals. In short, he's an even more complete player than Yeaton and will cause problems all series young.

Advantage: San Antonio

Small Forward
Patrick Pastner vs. Paul Pierce
It's PP vs. PP and while Pastner increased his points per game in the playoffs with 14.6 and is averaging 6.6 rebounds and 1.3 steals besides, his biggest task will be trying to shut down his dopplegangler.

Because the 37 year old Pierce has been masterful in the playoffs, shrugging off age and turning back the clock to average 21.5 points, 4.1 rebounds and a steal a game this postseason. If there's a weak spot, it's his declining, mediocre defense and his fading quickness resulting in poorer ballhandling skills. Even with Denver's PP having much better defense and ball security, the superior is obvious.

Advantage: San Antonio

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Tyrone Dotson
Okafor, like Pierce, is finding new life in the playoffs and was absolutely incredible against the Jazz, raising his postseason averages to 9.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. He's been a tyrant on defense and a rebounding machine.

Dotson was coveted by the Nuggets during the offseason, but the Spurs ponied up the cash to keep him. What's interesting is that he seems to be highly overrated, with his deficiencies coming to the forefront as a starter. He has below-average defense, isn't a comfortable shooter, turns the ball over a ton and is foul-prone. That said, he's a good rebounder, still has some upside, and is a decent blocker, averaging 7.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks thus far in the postseason. But he's going to get absolutely schooled by the veteran Okafor.

Advantage: Denver

Center
Dan Jacobson vs. Hilton Armstrong
Familiar foes, here. Jacobson's averaging 10.2 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in the playoffs and played much better defense versus the Jazz. On the flip side, he's shown only very rarely flashes of being able to be a critical part of the offensive gameplan, something he may well need to rectify here against the Spurs.

Armstrong keeps finding ways to retain his starting job for the Spurs. Maybe it's his good rebounding technique or maybe it's that he's got equally good defense, but he still manages to hang on to it despite being nowhere near the others in his lineage (David Robinson and Tim Duncan ring any bells?). He is, however, averaging 10.1 points, 12 rebound and 2.1 blocks in the playoffs and generally has looked better in the postseason than the regular season. He'll need to bring every bit of his game against the much bigger Jacobson.

Advantage: Draw

Bench
Kirk Hinrich is still plugging along, averaging 7.6 points and Phillip Gill continues to be a noteworthy force, averaging 5.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and almost a block.

Quincy Douby's stellar playoff reputation is intact, as he's averaging 7.5 points. Paul Fisher is averaging almost 3 points and 3 rebounds in under 9 minutes and plays exceptional defense, but for the most part, this is a very weak bench, particularly due to the lack of anyone who can pass the ball.

Advantage: Denver

Final Thoughts
Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce will turn this series into a white-knuckle slugfest, a contest so epic, it'll be one for the ages and the history books. But Brandon Brooks is even better than Kirk Hinrich was a year ago and the Nuggets' superior bench will see them through to the NBA Finals once more.
Prediction: Nuggets in 7

I'm so nervous about this matchup as to be terrified. But I think we can do it. As they said though, it'll be close, damned close.

Game One
It's absolutely deafening here in Denver for Game 1, the crowd more frenzied and amped than I've ever seen them. The noise level absolutely discombobulates the Spurs, while our team feeds off the energy and blows San Antonio out. Shawne Williams was the lone Spur highlight with 10 bench points, while on our end, Emeka Okafor had 10 points and 11 rebounds and our huge advantage in bench depth was in full force, as Phillip Gill was amazing with 15 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks and Thabo Sefolosha showed why I fell in love with his clutch prowess with 14 points. This victory left me and all the other Denver fans watching pumped.
Final - San Antonio 79 Denver 105

Game Two
The Spurs now consider Denver a house of horrors, as they shot just 36.1% this game. Once again, Shawne Williams was the only Spur able to do anything with 16 points as a reserve. Emeka Okafor continued to take advantage of Tyrone Dotson with 14 points and 17 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton broke through Joe Johnson for 22 points, 2 assists, 6 rebounds, 6 blocks and a steal as Player of the Game and our bench maintained its masterful play. Kirk Hinrich scored 10 points and Phillip Gill just missed a double-double with 8 points and 10 rebounds. Another pummeling and a beautiful 2-0 series lead as we switch venues.
Final - San Antonio 81 Denver 104

Game Three
I'm a little concerned how we'll react to being in San Antonio. The Spurs are desperate to regain some semblance of respect and get back in this series. And San Antonio did come out swinging, their offense discovering itself again in the comforts of home. Joe Johnson, Julian Wright and Paul Pierce all scored over 20 points, with 23, 21 and 22 respectively, but we more than countered that as we shot 57.7% as a team. Patrick Pastner came out of nowhere for 33 points, Dan Jacobson had 12 points and 16 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton scored 26 points, Brandon Brooks double-doubled with 10 points and 13 assists and Kirk Hinrich orchestrated 16 points to lead our great bench in another stomping of the Spurs. San Antonio is now officially on the brink.
Final - Denver 114 San Antonio 93

The victory isn't wholly without cost, though. Brandon Brooks picks up a sore hand and Mateen Yeaton sprains his toe. Fortunately neither injury is serious and I'm just hoping to close out the series next game so we can avoid losing anybody.

Game Four
The decibel level in San Antonio mirrors that of Denver in Game 1. The Spurs faithful want to avoid their team bowing out with an embarrasing sweep. And they do it with an incredible second-half rally that just leaves me shaking my head in a mixture of awe at San Antonio's resilience and disgust at our own defensive laspses. Paul Pierce saved the Spurs with 22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and 4 steals and Shawne Williams scored 13 points to continue as San Antonio's only productive bench player in this series. We had game efforts from Emeka Okafor (15 points, 10 rebounds, 5 blocks) and Brandon Brooks (13 points, 13 assists), but we fell one bloody bucket short of the sweep. There was no excuse for allowing a 14-point lead to evaporate or to surrender 32 points in the 4th quarter.
Final - Denver 88 San Antonio 90

Even more aggravating, Detroit sweeps Milwaukee, so they'll be fully rested against whoever they face. But maybe that means they'll be rusty, too.

Game Five
We're back home now and we should have an easy win to finally close this thing out. But San Antonio's suddenly reborn, shooting 50.6% and boasting 7 players with 12 points or more. Tyrone Dotson has 12 points and 10 rebounds, Hilton Armstrong 15 points and 14 rebounds, and Quincy Douby and Shawne Williams erupt off the bench for 18 and 17 points respectively. We thoroughly waste 30 points from Patrick Pastner, along with 18 points and 14 rebounds from Emeka Okafor. Suddenly we're the ones who have the boom lowered on us and look absolutely dazed and confused.
Final - San Antonio 112 Denver 96

Game Six
I am now officially nervous again. Our 3-0 series lead now sits at a precarious 3-2. We need to win here. A Game 7 is far too dangerous to risk, both in terms of losing the Finals ticket and risking injury to one of our stars. But the Spurs have it all now; the momentum, home crowd, 19 points, 18 rebounds and 4 blocks from Hilton Armstrong, 22 points from Julian Wright and 11 and 15 bench points from Shawne Williams and Quincy Douby. All we have is 10 points and 11 rebounds from Dan Jacobson, 17 bench points from Kirk Hinrich and the sinking feeling that the injuries to Mateen Yeaton and Brandon Brooks are bothering them more than we thought. We're absolutely destroyed and now I'm simply praying for a Game 7 miracle.
Final - Denver 79 San Antonio 102

Game Seven
This is it. Our entire season hinges on this battle before our home crowd. Win and we get another shot at title glory. Lose and we'll have some very hard questions and soul-searching to face this offseason. ...33.3%. That's all we can shoot. Mateen Yeaton has 11 points and 10 assists and Kirk Hinrich valiantly summons 15 bench points, but that's all. Shawne Williams, the hero of the series, takes home Player of the Game with 21 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. Hilton Armstrong gets 12 points and 15 rebounds and Quincy Douby scores 13. We play like shit, we look like shit and we feel like shit.
Final - San Antonio 94 Denver 72

What a vomit-inducing way to end the season. To go up 3-0 and then waste it in the best year we've had since I've been here.

I don't even go for the press conference. I lock myself in my office and stare at the walls, hearing again the team doctor's warning all those years ago.

"Don't trade for Yeaton! He's injury-prone!"

How prophetic those words now seem.

[boberot]

Aint that a bitch . . . .
That one really stings.

[RedHawk00]

Ouch man, i guess now we hope for a lottery miracle...

[Izulde]

boberot: That was a kick in the balls, for sure. Kind of put a damper on my morning.

RedHawk00: Pretty much it, though watch, the balls will bounce completely the wrong way and we'll end up with the 12th pick or something. :D

[Izulde]

I'm so dispirited by our loss to the Spurs, I don't even have the heart for travel. Worse yet, the curse of insomnia plagues me and so it's with bloodshot eyes that I watch the previews of the NBA Finals and the games late at night, on tape delay, because watching them live would push me into the netherworld of insanity.

I do, out of habit, write up my own thoughts on the Finals showdown.

Detroit, who I considered all season long the paper tiger, has proven far more fleshy and meaty than I figured and face off against the Spurs in the Finals. It's a matchup nobody predicted and to be honest, the ratings aren't so hot, much to the NBA brass's chagrin.

Point Guard
Kenny Graham vs. Julian Wright
Stealing Graham from the Hornets was the best move the Pistons have made since the '80s. He's developed into that brilliant a player and he's only 23. Expect accolade after accolade to be heaped upon him in the coming years, all of which are going to be in Detroit, as he loves it there. A breathtaking magician with the ball and a pleasing shooter, his defense is even pretty good. Easily one of the top 5 PGs in the league right now. He's averaging 16.6 points and 9.3 assists in the playoffs.

The fact that the Spurs are in the Finals with a natural SF with poor passing skills as the starting PG boggles the mind and destroys every bit of conventional wisdom that screams the need for a textbook PG at the spot. I could very easily see teams copying the Spurs model of having superior swingmen and letting everything else take care of itself, especially if they win. Wright's averaging 12.3 points, 6.6 assists and 1.3 blocks. Simply bizzare.

Advantage: Detroit

Shooting Guard
Rajan Rondo vs. Joe Johnson
Rondo could start at PG for a lot of teams in the league, that's how good his passing skills are. Talk about diametrically opposed franchises in that regard for this Finals. He's also a lockdown defender and terrific ballthief. Like Emeka Okafor for our side, any points he brings are bonus. 12.3 points and 1.2 steals are a nice bonus, I'd say.

Johnson's averaging 17.2 points a game, almost 4 rebounds and assists and 1.1 steals a game in the playoffs. His bigger size will help against Rondo and his own defensive prowess will limit extra offensive productivity out of the Pistons SG, but Johnson's also got back spasms, which could potentially limit his effectiveness in the Finals.

Advantage: Draw

Small Forward
Marcel Mance vs. Paul Pierce
Mance's natural position is C, though he's better suited to PF. 25 year old former #5 overall pick by the Hornets (2009) draft, didn't pan out to the high selection, but he's still got some upside and could end up a better version of Patrick Pastner, good all around, but not a master at anything. Averaging 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.3 steals and a block a game in the playoffs.

Pierce has a huge intangibles edge here, hungry to beat his former team and finally get a ring for himself besides. He's come alive in the playoffs, averaging 19.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.2 steals and I have every suspicion that if the Spurs win, it'll be largely because of him. I also anticipate he'll retire immediately afterwards if San Antonio takes home the title.

Advantage: San Antonio

Power Forward
Jermaine O'Neal vs. Tyrone Dotson
O'Neal's no longer the dominant post player he once was, but even at 36, he's still a solid all-around performer who needs to be respected. 11 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks for the playoffs.

Dotson's only averaging 7.6 points, 5.9 rebound and 1.6 blocks this postseason and he's going to get absolutely brutalized by O'Neal. Honestly, between Dotson at PF and Wright at PG, it's still a miracle that the Spurs are even here to play for the title.

Advantage: Detroit

Center
Tim Davis vs. Hilton Armstrong
Davis is very much an under the radar young center thanks to a guy named Jonte Jones. But it's given him the motivation to work even harder. Taken 5th overall by the Pistons in 2011, the 23 year old is the best defensive center in the game period, with the best inside shot of anybody in the entire NBA. What's frightening is that he's still got some ceiling on his defense and he's working on developing his scoring instincts. That ethic's been evident in the playoffs, as he's leading the Pistons with 20.4 points and 10.4 rebounds. Casual NBA fans may have regarded him lightly before now, but after this magnificient postseason, he's finally on the map.

Armstrong's boosted his playoff averages to 10.9 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks. Like much of the rest of the Spurs lineup, his presence makes it a real mystery as to just what the heck San Antonio is doing here.

Advantage: Detroit

Bench
The trade that netted the Pistons Zelipe Gama also gave them a ridiculously strong pass-first backup PG. Detroit was also helped out by us, as Mike Miller is playing his 6th man role to perfection in the playoffs, averaging 10.6 points. The hole in the Pistons bench is the lack of a defensive stopper.

Everyone's of course buzzing about Shawne Williams, San Antonio's savior against us, who's averaging 12.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks after that series. I call it a fluke. What isn't a fluke is Quincy Douby's clutch reputation, as he's averaging 8.5 points off the bench in the playoffs. As noted before, nobody that can pass the ball effectively, though.

Advantage: Draw

Final Thoughts
This is going to be a blowout. I hadn't realized the Pistons were actually that good until I looked closely at them. I see a sweep.
Pistons in 4

Game One
So much for the sweep. Julian Wright scores 23 points, Hilton Armstrong puts up 14 points and 13 rebounds and Quincy Douby adds 13 points from the bench. The score is fairly close, but by and large Detroit looked completely out of it, with nobody stepping up and taking charge for the Pistons.
Final - San Antonio 98 Detroit 91

Game Two
Complete reversal of Game 1 as the Pistons wake up in a hurry and destroy the suddenly inept Spurs to leave Detroit with the series knotted up. Tim Davis leads all scorers with 26 points and Kenny Graham doubles with 16 points and 11 assists. Amazing how low in individual highlights this series has been so far.
Final - San Antonio 84 Detroit 111

Game Three
Tim Davis serves notice to the sellout crowd in San Antonio that he's not going to allow any more Spurs miracles. He's everywhere in this game, final lining with 22 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. Rajon Rondo scores 21, Kenny Graham dishes 14 and scores 14 and Quincy Douby leads the reserves with 10 points. For the Spurs, Hilton Armstrong gets a weak 10 points and 11 rebounds, while Shawne Williams shows up far too late to make a difference with 14 points and 8 rebounds off the bench.
Final - Detroit 103 San Antonio 83

Game Four
The game wasn't as close as the score looks. San Antonio's two-headed dragon of Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce finally rise out of their slumber to score 24 and 21 points respectively and that's all the Spurs really needed. Detroit got poor doubles off of Tim Davis (11 points, 10 rebounds) and Kenny Graham (10 points, 11 assists), along with 11 points from 6th man Mike Miller. All those 1s and 0s add up to a binding binary loss that again ties up the series.
Final - Detroit 96 San Antonio 103

Game Five
The Big Mo' Game is won by the Pistons as Tim Davis erupts at home for 24 points and 12 rebounds, while [b]Kenny Graham was equally electric with 20 points and 15 assists. Good fight by the Spurs though, as Joe Johnson scores 25 and bench warriors Shawne Williams and Quincy Douby acquit themselves well with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 14 points respectively. Ultimately, it isn't enough to stave off the shove to oblivion's thin line, where San Antonio now totters.
Final - San Antonio 94 Detroit 103

Game Six
Closest game of the series, as both teams leave it all out on the floor in San Antonio. Paul Pierce has 11 points and 11 rebounds, Hilton Armstrong 12 points and 13 rebounds. Joe Johnson scores 20 and Quincy Douby emphatically stamps his clutch reputation with 19 points to lead the second team. But the Spurs fall just short, as Jermaine O'Neal puts up an impressive 14 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists, Tim Davis scores 20 and Mike Miller leads the bench with 11 points. But it was Kenny Graham who ultimately sealed the deal and delivered home the championship for the Pistons with 21 points and 11 assists, securing the four-point victory despite a frenzied, crowd-inspired final quarter dash by the Spurs.
Final - Detroit 99 San Antonio 95

Congratulations to the Pistons and congratulations to the Spurs, too, for making it a much tighter series than anyone could've anticipated.

[Izulde]

A lot of drama surrounding the lottery this year. We're originally slated with the 8th pick in the draft, given a 3.5% chance of moving on up into the promised land of the Top 3.

It's even more intense to sit in the room as the balls are drawn after our disappointing loss in the West Conference Finals.

So here they come, one by one.

14. Seattle Supersonics (+0)

Good. Expected, but good.

13. New York Knicks (+0)

Been a long time since the Knicks were this far back in the lottery and they happily stay there.

12. Sacramento Kings (+0)

I feel a little sorry for Kings fans. It seems like they're the perennial borderline team, either just barely sneaking in the playoffs or sitting on the outer limits of the lottery. But then again, they do have last year's upset over the Lakers to still savour.

11. Indiana Pacers (+0)

Rough luck for the Pacers with Ben Gordon getting hurt for much of the year and derailing their season. They're not lucky here, either, staying right in place. On the other hand, they didn't slide down either, and we're now guaranteed a Top 10 pick.

10. Portland Traiblazers (+0)

Tough spot for the Blazers. Their bench has a ton of young guys that are mediocre and developing to begin with, and given how the draft classes tend to run, they'll probably end up with something similiar here. On the other hand, there have been some great players in recent years who have been mid-to-late lottery picks, so who knows?

9. New Jersey Nets (+0)

And just like that, we lock into at least the spot we were slated at.

I lean in and grip the arms of my chair, gritting my teeth and forcing myself to stare at the name that comes up next.

8. Denver Nuggets (+0)

Sorry, you are not a winner. Thanks for playing. Please try again.

7. Atlanta Hawks (+0)
6. Phoenix Suns (+0)
5. New Orleans Hornets (-2)
4. Chicago Bulls (-2)
3. Washington Wizards (+2)
2. Golden State Warriors (-1)
1. Los Angeles Clippers (+3)

The conspiracy theorists scream the next day that it's a fix to make sure attention stays in L.A. I don't see it that way. It was a pretty low movement lottery, all things considered, and the Red and White just had the balls bounce properly.

Besides, it's not like we can't move up if we really want to. There's more than enough ammunition for us to do so.

2014 NBA Awards

MVP
Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers - 20.5 ppg 12.3 rpg 2.9 apg 2.7 bpg 0.7 spg

Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - 11.3 ppg 6.6 rpg 3.1 apg 4.2 bpg 1.5 spg

Rookie of the Year
Leland Peterson - Washington Wizards - 13.4 ppg 4.4 apg 3.3 rpg 1.1 bpg 1.9 spg

6th Man of the Year
Shawne Williams - San Antonio Spurs - 12 ppg 7.6 rpg 1.6 apg 1.6 bpg 0.7 spg

Coach of the Year
Flip Saunders - Detroit Pistons

For the first time, I don't disagree with any of those awards. Each one of these guys was very well deserving.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Rudy Gay - Memphis Grizzlies
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Andrew Bynum - L.A. Lakers

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Mateen Yeaton - Denver Nuggets
SF Carmelo Anthony - New York Knicks
PF Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Kenny Graham - Detroit Pistons
SG Nigel Abel - Miami Heat
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Leland Peterson - Washington Wizards (An 1st Team Defense member as a rookie!)
SG Kevin Martin - Sacramento Kings
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Emeka Okafor - Denver Nuggets
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Dwayne Wade - Miami Heat
SG Tracy McGrady - Sacramento Kings
SF Rudy Gay - Memphis Grizzlies
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Andrew Bynum - L.A. Lakers

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Leland Peterson - Washington Wizards
SG Angelo Mascoe - Seattle Supersonics
SF Shannon Drayton - Chicago Bulls
PF Jason Everett - Phoenix Suns
C Chris Driver - L.A. Clippers

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Derrick Attaway - Miami Heat
SG Justin Richler - New Jersey Nets
SF Mark White - Houston Rockets
PF Brian Bender - Detroit Pistons
C Jimmy Johnson - Utah Jazz

Nice to see us pick up a couple awards. I disagree sharply with Driver over Johnson as the 1st Team Rookie C, though, as Johnson had the far better stats and played on a better team. But maybe it's karmic retribution for having Jimmy Johnson be your name, that bastard Dolphins-destroyer.

Utah Sixers Report

PG Brandon Brooks - Denver Nuggets
You know his story because you've been following us all season long. His final stats: 82 games/59 starts 11.6 ppg, 9 apg, 3 rpg. A very solid presence for us in the lineup and he's signed through the next two seasons. Barring an amazing change of circumstance, which is quite possible in this world, I foresee him as the starting PG here in Denver for at least the next two years.

PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
Started every game for the T-Wolves and his first-ever 1st Team award does a lot to take the sting off of a disappointing end to the season. He broke 20 points for the first time, averaging 20.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3 blocks and a steal per game. Unquestionably one of the best PFs in the league right now, although I suspect he's going to inherit the Kevin Garnett Curse, where he's the top player and a premiere talent in the league for years, but never gets a ring. Although come to think of it, Lebron James is in danger of suffering the same fate.

SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat
Lost his starting spot to Jon Wilson. Appeared in 78 games, starting just 25. As a result, his numbers were way down - 5.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, a block and a steal. There were some rumors floating around that we almost executed a deal to bring him to Denver, which is half-true. We were negotiating with the Heat on it, but couldn't come to an agreement we liked. I foresee Austin, now 30, as descending into a backup for the rest of his career.

C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks
Now a mid-bench player, he appeared in 66 games, averaging a surprising 5.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in a shade over 16 minutes a game. One of the most disappointing project players ever in my opinion, but I suppose there's something to be said for the fact that he's still hanging in the NBA on an improved Knicks squad.

PF B.J. Whitehead - Indiana Pacers
Started exactly one game for the Golden Birds in the D-League before getting signed by the Pacers, where he had his most successful season since 2012 with the Rockets. He appeared in 68 games, averaging 5.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 19.5 minutes a game as the Pacers' 8th man. He's had a pretty good career for a late 2nd round pick (he was taken with the 27th pick in the 2nd round by Houston). My guess is that he'll bounce between the D-League and the NBA over the next few seasons.

SF Brian Robertson - Free Agent
No love anywhere. Not even an inactive spot with a D-League team to collect $35,000. I have to wonder just how long he's going to hang on.

B.B. Dyer, in our annual meeting, is pleased with my assessment that we'll make a deep playoff run. It's the most I've ever promised an owner, ever, but I have faith that we'll manage it.

On the other hand, looking at our roster, we've got 12 guys on it and we're already $17 million over the cap. We've got at least one high draft pick coming in, if not two first rounders period and unless I make some kind of a trade for salary cap purposes, there's no way I can get it between the $10-15 million range.

So I take a breath and with just a little nervousness, admit to B.B. our financial situation, going into the particulars. He frowns and says he has no problem paying out some money, but he's not willing to go to that level.

Great. So now I have to find a way to cram our payroll into a small window. Takes a lot of enjoyment out of preparing for this draft, let me tell you.

On the other hand, it's the perfect time to go shopping.

The first team I call up is Toronto, where I try to work something out to land Chris Bosh. Unfortunately, I'm limited by the straitjacket our wonderful owner put me into, so it's nothing doing.

We crunch numbers, we call up different teams and have discussions, but the market's looking pretty bare. I throw everything I have at the Mavericks to try and get Jonte Jones, but they refuse to budge unless I'm willing to talk about Mateen Yeaton and I can't do that.

But then we find a deal and make it and it's an interesting one.

Denver Nuggets receive
SF Ron McPherson
C Eddy Curry
New Orleans Hornets 2017 1st round pick
New Orleans Hornets 2016 2nd round pick
New Orleans Hornets 2017 2nd round pick

New Orleans Hornets receive
SF Patrick Pastner
PG Cherokee Waterman
Denver Nuggets 2014 1st round pick (#29)
Cleveland Cavaliers 2017 1st round pick

What this means for the Nuggets
Pastner's poor shot selection infuriated the Denver front office and GM Jestor is said to have been much enamored with McPherson, who brings scoring and defense, but can't rebound. It's uncertain as to if McPherson will be able to take off the starting SF spot or if Phillip Gill, who's shown considerable talent on the Nuggets bench will slide in. Curry gives Denver's bench more scoring punch and even at 33, he can still get some rebounds and play some day. More importantly for the Nuggets cap situation in future years, he's an expiring $9.8 million contract. The 2nd round picks provide extra trade bait for Denver, as Jestor has a long-established philosophy as using 2nd round selections for that purpose and who knows which will be the better 2017 1st round pick out of Cleveland or New Orleans? Dealing the 29th pick also helps the Nuggets to alleviate the cap crisis they currently face.

What this means for the Hornets
The Hornets already had a young SF they love in 24 year old Rick Harris, (6th overall pick in 2011), making McPherson expendable. Just where Pastner will fit in the lineup is anybody's guess, but he gives the Hornets the sort of very good all-around young player they lacked. Waterman gives them another option at PG to go with 2nd year Ray Fields, the franchise future. Perhaps the biggest key to this trade is that it allows the rebuilding Hornets to get younger and with the extra late 1st rounder, continue to work on that foundation. They'll certainly need to find a C in free agency or the draft, though, as they now have none worth speaking of.

Advantage: Draw
There's certainly attractive things about this deal for both sides, but also drawbacks. The difficulty for Denver, an expected championship contender, is that Gill is still developing and if the coaching staff can't bring him up to speed or if they don't feel comfortable with McPherson starting at the 3, that's going to be an area of major weakness come playoff time.

A fair assessment of the trade, though I was surprised when Larry Brown told me afterwards they were thinking of putting Gill in Pastner's spot. As much as I love Phillip, he doesn't have the ballhandling ability to do well at SF and McPherson, while not an exceptional rebounder, brings so much more there that Patrick didn't, he should be starting.

But it's not in my hands, as I'm only the GM.

I do love our bench now, though. Between Curry, McPherson/Gill and Kirk Hinrich, the scoring and defending (except in Gill's case) won't stop when our starters are taking a break.

I have the feeling that the Cavaliers will do better than the Hornets in a couple years. Cleveland's got a nucleus in John Aylsworth, Lebron James and Kyle Smith that is going to be deadly as they get used to playing with each other and as Smith continues to develop. Sean Pryce is an extremely promising young PF as well and could be the defensive stopper they need.

Larry Brown gets a 3 year, $5.6 million per year contract extension just before the coach hiring frenzy. It's a million a year less than he's making in his final season, but he told me he wants to get another ring before he calls it quits.

I try to extend the assistants as well, but even when they say they're willing to take a pay cut, and even when I offer them the same as what they want, they say that isn't what they want and get mad about it, so I just leave it be. Maybe they were all drinking last night or something.

Head Coaching Contracts
Scott Skiles - Chicago Bulls
Frank Johnson - New Orleans Hornets
P.J. Carleismo - Golden State Warriors
George Karl - New York Knicks
Mike Brown - Washington Wizards
Eric Musselman - L.A. Clippers

Baldy must be convinced he has the Knicks on the verge of becoming a playoff team again, as he stays in the Big Apple. Interesting to see Skiles and Carleismo return to their old stomping grounds.

Mock Draft Thoughts

This is one of the best looking draft classes I've seen in a long time from first glance. I'm talking, this draft class is looking Class of 2010 good. Kind of fitting, since it'll have been 5 years since that class came in and brought us Jonte Jones (#2), Mateen Yeaton (#4) and Paulinho Buboltz (#8), not to mention Nigel Abel (#5).

...Okay, so it was obscenely top-heavy. It's still been a great, dominant class and if the scouting holds up to my initial impressions, we could end up with that kind of class again five years later.

The mock draft has us taking SF Ronell Jones, a 20 year old out of Arizona. Jones looks okay, but there's other swingmen I like the looks of a lot better.

SGs and SFs are definitely the strength of this draft class. There's maybe one PF who looks really good and who will most likely certainly be off the board by the time our pick comes up. Two Cs are considered tops, but I don't particularly like them and I actually kind of like the third-ranked C best in pre-workouts.

PG looks pretty decent and I absolutely -love- the first impressions of Filip Svorda, a 19 year old Croatian.

Our biggest need is actually PF or C, particularly PF, where Emeka Okafor is old and won't be around all that much longer, I don't think. We could also use a young PG to fulfill Kirk Hinrich's role and then in turn flip Hinrich for something. The PG would then also be the heir apparent to Brandon Brooks.

A talent infusion at SF would help, certainly, just in case Phillip Gill and Ron McPherson don't pan out. ...Hell, for that matter, it wouldn't hurt to get a talented young SG in case Mateen Yeaton gets knicked up.

Long story short, I think what we'll end up doing is going with the best player available at #8. I don't think we have the... Well yes, yes we do have the arsenal to move up for a player we really like. How far we can move up is open to question.

But I'd certainly give it a shot for the right player, especially if someone jumps out at me as an unquestioned #1...

[Izulde]

There's one player who's a clear cut above the rest to my eyes and what makes him so valuable is his fantastic work ethic and great intangibles. He's at the top of a list of 7 players we've identified as worthy selections, further broken down into an A-list group of 3 players and a B-list group of 4 guys.

With the 8th pick, our chances of getting one of those seven are extremely high. All we would need is for one of the first 7 picks to not be one of those athletes. On the other hand, I'm liking our #1 choice so much, I decide to call the Clippers and see what it'd take to move up.

Unfortunately, the Clippers aren't willing to listen to offers and so we sit and wait with apprenhension.

2015 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. SF Andre Davis - L.A. Clippers

And there he goes. Not a surprise really, as he was unquestionably the best player available in the draft. After missing on Davis, I decide to wait and see how the next pick or two play out.

2. SG Walter Coleman - Golden State Warriors

Another one of our A-list guys, if his intangibles had been better, I would've moved up to get him.

I'm very tempted to move up into the #3 slot as there's a big man who, the more I look at him, the more he intrigues me. But on the other hand, there's some real drawbacks, too, so I hold off, even though he's likely to be taken here.

3. C Patrick Riley - Washington Wizards

Yep, I was right. No harm, though, as we've still got a number of players left on our board.

4. PG Filip Svorada - Chicago Bulls

We're now a lock to get one of the initial 7 players on our list. Svorada looked absolutely awful in individual workouts and so we dropped him from consideration.

The Hornets are up next and my hunch says they'll go C now that they traded Eddy Curry to us.

5. C Chris Adams - New Orleans Hornets

Classic desparation move. Adams was better than the other highly touted C for sure, but worthy of a Top 5 pick? Not on your life.

Now is when things start getting a little tricky. Out of the guys left on our list, two of them are natural SFs, the other two natural SGs who are too small to play the 3. I actually like one SF over the other, but it's not a strong enough difference that I'm willing to move up.

6. SF Ronell Jones - Phoenix Suns

That would be the SF I preferred slightly, our mock draft pick. Curiously enough, the pick's panned outright by the experts. Maybe a good sign.

They're projecting the Hawks to take one of the SGs, but I don't trust Atlanta, so I make a very small trade.

Denver Nuggets receive
Atlanta Hawks 2015 1st round pick (#7)

Atlanta Hawks receive
Denver Nuggets 2015 1st round pick (#8)
Denver Nuggets 2017 2nd round pick

No analysis, as it's a strictly picks for picks trade.

7. SF Leroy Freeman - Denver Nuggets

The pick's lambasted, as they question our drafting a SF after going and getting Ron McPherson and still having Phillip Gill besides. Whatever. Freeman has good intangibles and an excellent-looking all-around game.

8. C Garick Reece - Atlanta Hawks
9. SG Galen Drayton - New Jersey Nets
10. PF Henry Fisher - Portland Trailblazers

The best of the weakest PF crop we've seen in years. Incidentally, he did have a horrible workout for us.

11. SF Samaki McKenzie - Indiana Pacers
12. SG Justin Barnes - Sacramento Kings

Sacramento gets an absolute steal here. Scored 30 points a game last year for Pittsburgh.

13. SG David Davis - New York Knicks
14. SG Bryan Young - Seattle Supersonics
15. PG Pete Bannister - Philadelphia 76ers

I can't believe 15 picks have gone by and there's still one of the guys originally on our list sitting there. But the Bobcats aren't willing to come to any sort of agreement, so he'll probably be selected here.

16. SG Jamel Jackson - Charlotte Bobcats

And he is. Oh well, we wouldn't have been able to afford him anyway. As it is, we're probably going to have to make a cap-related trade, which won't be fun.

17. SG Adam Lopez - Minnesota Timberwolves
18. SG Pete Latham - Boston Celtics
19. SG Andrew Bayno - Orlando Magic
20. PF Mike Hughes - Milwaukee Bucks
21. PG Alan Edwards - Houston Rockets
22. SF Perry Woods - San Antonio Spurs
23. C Mekeli Norwood - Miami Heat
24. PG Jeryl Younger - Dallas Mavericks
25. PF Jerry Stevenson - Utah Jazz
26. SF Cory Gervin - Memphis Grizzlies
27. C Winston Smith - Miami Heat

The Heat are really trying to address their C problem and shoot two bullets at the target. Not a bad idea, really, even though this is a poor class for big men as I said.

28. PF Antwan Zinn - Los Angeles Lakers
29. C Tyler Marlow - New Orleans Hornets
30. SG Danny Harley - Toronto Raptors

First look at Leroy Freeman after the draft says he's disappointingly average. Even after renouncing our contracts, we're just -barely- $15 million over the cap. I'm really kicking myself now for not taking Henry Fisher, who would've been a great heir to Emeka Okafor and whose intangibles aren't nearly as bad as first reported.

I sign Ron McPherson to a $6 million base, 4 year contract with 8% raises. If he pans out like I suspect he will, it's better to lock him up now at the reduced rate, rather than later when he'd be demanding Mateen Yeaton-like salaries.

Freeman, McPherson and Lindsey Williamson all go to the Summer League team.

Summer League

We get hammered 98-86 at Dallas, although Josh Blackmon and Leroy Freeman score 15 and 14 points respectively off the bench. We destroy Golden State the next game 101-71, as Ron McPherson erupts for 27 points and Leroy Freeman scores 15 as a reserve.

Atlanta goes down 100-76, Ron McPherson again leading the way, this time with 19 points, Carleton Drakeford with 10 bench points. McPherson's really starting to make a case for himself as the starting SF I think, and if he does that, don't be surprised to see Leroy Freeman get dealt out, particularly if he has a poor training camp.

Ron McPherson again with 21 points in a 95-89 victory over the Bulls, Josh Blackmon the top reserve with 13 points. The whole team sucks against the Celtics in a 98-92 loss to end summer league play except Ron McPherson with 28 points. There were a couple bench guys in double-digit points, but they don't really matter as they're not on the team and won't make it, though Josh Blackmon did have 16 points and has been a consistent scoring presence. Good defender, too.

I think what I saw out of summer league play, plus the fact that Leroy Freeman can only play SF, is enough to convince me.

Over the next several days, I call so many people my head hurts after a while. We have some very intense negotiations with several teams and are just about to make a deal with the Jazz when I find myself pulling back, waiting until after training camp. There was a better deal with Minnesota on the table, but we couldn't make it work with the T-Wolves just yet.

Free Agency

With 13 players under contract and needing to cut salary, we stay out of free agency.

I'm irate to learn that the Lakers stole Kyle Hoiberg away on a 5 year, $54.8 million deal. Rumor has it that the is going to signal the end of the Kobe Bryant era in Purple and Gold. Immediately, all plans of staying idle fly out the window.

Andrew Bynum re-signed with the Lakers the next day on a maximum-level contract, as expected. The Purple and Gold also ink Ryan Sweetwyne to a 3-year, $11 million and change deal which raises some eyebrows around the league.

The Bucks add some toughness to their interior by signing Elton Brand to a one year, $10 million and change contract. Milwaukee's right to be making the push they are, though. Luol Deng won't be around forever and who knows what's going to happen with 36 year old Michael Redd.

San Antonio re-signs Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce much to my displeasure. Dallas is officially done as a power when Dirk Nowitzki heads further west to Sacramento for $10 million and change for one season. Tracy McGrady going back to the Kings as well, along with their great draft luck means I think Sacramento's going to be a power worth watching this year.

Baron Davis exchanges one purgatory for another, leaving Golden State to go to the Clippers for $7.3 million for the year. Javaris Crittenton finally gets the payday he deserves, a 3 year, $13.6 million contract from the Atlanta Hawks.

The Purple and Gold continue to make a splash in signing Ron Artest to a one year deal, the particulars of which I wasn't able to find out immediately.

And then the big one hit.

Kobe Bryant signed with.... the freaking Toronto Raptors for 5 years and just over $32 million. It's just sick how the Raptors manage to stay the top team in the NBA talent-wise year after year.

Mehmet Okur and Jermaine O'Neal both sail for the Clippers on one year deals on the same day that Michael Redd takes $7.3 million to serve as Gilbert Arenas's sidekick in Washington. Memo to the Wizards - You're not as good as the Heat, especially not relying on old guards.

The Jazz are hell-bent on challenging us for the Northwest, acquiring Mike Bibby and Vince Carter on min-sals. It's been a free agency year that sees long-time stars leave their old haunts, as Kevin Garnett says so long to the T-wolves and joins up with the defending champion Pistons on a min-sal contract in the quest for a ring.

Training Camp

Leroy Freeman looks like a bust.

We have to find a way to get Ron McPherson as much PT as possible. He looks like an absolutely amazing player. Mateen Yeaton is showing small improvements still, as is Dan Jacobson. Phillip Gill continues to tease us with potential and Lindsey Williamson, while making strides, could probably use another year down in the D-League. He's tenatively scheduled as the 11th man on the bench, but I think he'd be better served on the Timberjacks for one more year.

It's trade time!

Denver Nuggets receive
C Chris Washington
Utah Jazz 2018 1st round pick

Utah Jazz receive
SF Leroy Freeman

What this means for the Nuggets
GM Jestor was not happy with Freeman's showing in the summer league or in training camp, leading to his ouster before he even officially played a game for the Nuggets. Washington is a shot-blocker, with good handling for a big man, but that's about it. The real key to this deal is the 2018 1st rounder and with Carlos Boozer and Andris Biedrins out of contract after this year, who knows what the Jazz are going to look like? A bigger burning question: When is a Jestor draftee going to stay with the team? Paulinho Buboltz holds the longevity record with 3 seasons before being traded to Indiana.

What this means for the Jazz
Utah's hoping that Andrei Kirilenko can mentor Freeman and turn him into a worthy heir. Current projections tab the rookie as the Jazz's 6th man. At the very least, Leroy's a much better player than Utah could hope to get with a late 1st round pick in most years.

Advantage: Draw
The litmus test is going to be where the 2018 1st round pick falls. Not that it might even matter. With the exception of Buboltz, Jestor has a poor record in lottery picks (Joakim Noah #10 in 2007, passing on Kevin Durant with the 2nd overall pick and now Freeman in this draft).

...Ouch. They didn't need to bring that up.

In any event, the trade also brings us under $15 million at $14.7, so that ought to make our ownership happy. Phillip Gill is initially pencilled in as the starting SF, but I'm hoping it's very light pencil.

Lindsey Williamson doesn't get his D-League ticket yet, as I'm waiting to see the final Opening Day roster Larry Brown and his boys turn in first.

The preseason press continues to fellate Portland and consider them the top team in the West, even though they're not. The re-tooled Lakers are #2 and they should be #1. I'm still ticked about Kyle Hoiberg, even though he makes Ron Artest (who by the way is the Lakers 6th man) look like a happy Kumbaya type and has absolutely no loyalty whatsoever as evidenced by his cross-town jump. Hoiberg, incidentally, broke 20 points a game average for the first time last year and the Lakers offense will actually be better with him rather than Kobe Bryant at SG.

We're picked 4th in the conference, highest we've been in a long time. Maybe I should've taken the Jazz's 1st round pick this year, because they're slated as a lottery team. By the way, lovely bit of irony. Caron Butler re-signed with Minnesota where he's replacing... Kevin Garnett in the starting lineup.

Toronto, to no one's surprise, is 1st in the East. Allen Iverson retired, but check out this lineup:

PG T.J. Ford
SG Kobe Bryant
SF David Anyan
PF Andrea Bargnani
C Greg Oden
6th Chris Bosh

Bosh is still upset about everything in Canada, but at his salary, there's few teams who have the tools or the inclination to trade for him.

New York's picked 2nd as the media continue to over-rate the Knicks. They -maybe- make the playoffs this year. Cleveland's ranked 3rd, which I actually think is quite fair. The Cavs have an intriguing lineup and their bench isn't that bad.

Speaking of lineups and benches...

Denver Nuggets 2015 Opening Day Lineup
PG Brandon Brooks
SG Mateen Yeaton
SF Phillip Gill
PF Emeka Okafor
C Dan Jacobson
6th Eddy Curry (PF/C)
7th Kirk Hinrich (PG/SG)
8th Ron McPherson (SG/SF)
9th Thabo Sefolosha (PG/SG/SF)
10th Shaun Livingston (PG/SG)
11th Chris Washington (SF/PF/C)*
12th Willie Green (PG/SG/SF)

* - Lindsey Williamson was originally slated as the 11th man, but after he didn't beat out Chris Washington for the 10th spot, I assigned him to Colorado, whereupon Shaun moved from inactive to 10th man, creating the shifts seen.

Williamson takes over at his natural C spot for the Timberjacks.

Overall, I really like how this team is shaping up for the season. Although I'd prefer Ron McPherson starting at SF, I see Larry Brown's point that now is the time for Phillip Gill to show us that he can fulfill his potential. If he can't, then he's signed for this season and next and will be let go, whereupon McPherson takes over.

If he can, then SF and PF are set for some time with McPherson and Gill starting, the latter at PF after Emeka Okafor's decline accelerates.

[RedHawk00]

Lottery STEEEEEERIKE 2.
One more and we might have to stop this atrocity ;)

[Izulde]

Lottery STEEEEEERIKE 2.
One more and we might have to stop this atrocity ;)

:D

Ironically enough, I -am- in danger of losing the save game file for this dynasty.

My desktop is ill with some kind of virus I suspect and I'm not sure if I can pull the files off on to a jump drive in Safe Mode.

[the_meanstrosity]

Give me a shout if you have any problems Izulde. I've found a few useful utilities that will allow you to pull files off even when the OS is corrupted. The one I've been using lately is called Bart's PE. It's a tiny OS that fits on a CD that you make bootable via Nero or some other burning software. You can then recover your old files since it will recognize flash drives. A very handy utility that's saved my tail a few times.

http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/

:D

Ironically enough, I -am- in danger of losing the save game file for this dynasty.

My desktop is ill with some kind of virus I suspect and I'm not sure if I can pull the files off on to a jump drive in Safe Mode.

[boberot]

Good luck retrieving your stuff, Iz. I'd hate to see you lose it.

I have the memory of a chicken, so remind me: how the heck did you end up with the 8th overall pick -- weren't you the #1 seed in the west?

[Izulde]

the_meanstrosity: Thanks. :) I pulled the save game file, along with some other files, onto a USB drive just as a backup. I'm shipping my desktop to the guy who built it sometime this weekend or next week and he says he's pretty sure he can clean up the viruses and save all my data, including the save game file.

Unfortunately, until that time (and return of my desktop), this dynasty is in freeze mode.

boberot: Thanks. :)

As for why we have the #8 pick, I traded Kyle Smith to the Cavaliers for their 2015 and 2017 1st round picks, then flipped my 29th pick that I got for the #1 seed in the West, along with the 2017 Cavs 1st round pick and some other stuff, like Patrick Pastner, to the Hornets for Ron McPherson and New Orleans 2017 1st round pick.

[the_meanstrosity]

Not a problem. I'd suggest installing AVG or some other free virus protection to help you in the future. It's by no means a guarantee, but it's better than nothing.

http://free.avg.com/

the_meanstrosity: Thanks. :) I pulled the save game file, along with some other files, onto a USB drive just as a backup. I'm shipping my desktop to the guy who built it sometime this weekend or next week and he says he's pretty sure he can clean up the viruses and save all my data, including the save game file.

[Barkeep49]

BOOOOOOOO! Bad virus, bad!

[Izulde]

the_meanstrosity: Thanks. :) I knew about AVG before, but I need to download it to my laptop, so thanks for the reminder and the link.

Barkeep49: I agree wholeheartedly! I've been fiending to find out what the team can do. I may try pulling the saved game over to my laptop and hope Vista decides to be kinder and gentler.

[Izulde]

I've decided to try seeing if this'll run on my laptop, even if I'm stuck with Vista. So here goes...

Gorgeous opening game by Mateen Yeaton with 37 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 blocks and 5 steals and Kirk Hinrich had 14 points and 11 assists off the bench, but the rest of the team was horrid and the Lakers topped us 118-109. The Purple and Gold may not have Kobe Bryant anymore, but they're a much deeper, more balanced team and Kyle Hoiberg will ensure they don't miss Kobe too much.

Mateen Yeaton carries the team again with 38 points and 10 rebounds and this time he gets enough help from Kirk Hinrich (15 points) and Eddy Curry (14 points), to thrash the Timberwolves 111-85. Our front court is really looking anemic in terms of its offense in the early going.

Heartbreaking 94-92 loss to the Jazz follows. Nobody broke 20 points for us, though Ron McPherson had 15 points off the bench and I'm wondering when he's going to start in place of Phillip Gill, who's looked terrible in a starting role. The real donkeypuncher in this one was Andris Biedrins, who I cast off so soon, ripping us for 17 points, 21 rebounds and 6 blocks.

A doubleheader's up next and we kick things off by avenging ourselves in a big way against the Jazz, as in a 121-77 asskicking. Larry Brown has a new lineup of PG Brooks/SG Hinrich/SF Yeaton/PF Okafor/C Jacobson, banishing Phillip Gill to the bench. It pays off beautifully here as Kirk Hinrich scores 26, Brandon Brooks adds 22 points and Dan Jacobson has 11 points and 15 rebounds. Our bench was amazing with 10 points from Ron McPherson, 15 from Thabo Sefolosha and a near double-double of 12 points and 9 rebounds from Eddy Curry. Unfortunately, we blow it the next night, losing 105-100 to the Sonics, despite 11 points and 14 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, 15 points and 14 assists from Brandon Brooks and 19 bench points from Ron McPherson. I'm just about on the point of trading Phillip Gill for something, I think.

A 90-81 loss to the Pistons really has me thinking hard about this team. Yes, Mateen Yeaton is suffering from back spasms and yes Emeka Okafor doubled with 17 points and 17 rebounds, but we're really looking out of sync here and not at all explosive like I expected us to be.

I'll give it a couple more games, but I'm getting the urge to make a move.

Larry Brown gets drunk the night before the Kings game and submits a lineup of PG Brooks/SG Hinrich/SF Gill/PF Curry/C Jacobson. Kirk Hinrich scores 22, Brandon Brooks has 11 points and 11 assists and Dan Jacobson is everywhere with 12 points and 21 rebounds, but it still translates into a 96-91 loss to Sacramento, our third straight defeat.

The lineup shuffle goes back to Brooks/Yeaton/Gill/Okafor/Jacobson and as a result, we net a stunningly easy 100-88 victory over the Raptors to snap the slump. Seven Nuggets in double-digit scoring, highlighted by double-doubles of 12 points and 12 assists from Brandon Brooks, 14 points and 10 rebounds from Dan Jacobson and 11 points and 10 rebounds from Emeka Okafor. Our bench showed firepower, as you might expect, with Eddy Curry scoring 12 points, Ron McPherson 14 points.

Another night, another lineup change. This time we have Hinrich/Yeaton/Gill/Curry/Jacobson and we lose 112-100 to the Bulls because we have no damned consistency. Eddy Curry scores 30, Dan Jacobson gets 10 points and 11 rebounds and Ron McPherson scores 15 off the bench, but we still look ridiculous out there. Particularly when Charles Seegars tees off us on for a triple-double of 27 points, 10 assists, 10 rebounds, 4 blocks and a steal.

So I've had it. Phillip Gill must go. He's screwing with our universe.

And the trade is a stunner.

Denver Nuggets receive
C Tim Davis
PG Zelipe Gama
SF Antwan Jamison

Detroit Pistons receive
C Dan Jacobson
C Phillip Gill
PG Shaun Livingston
C Eddy Curry

What this means for the Nuggets
GM Jestor strikes again, cutting off a major blockbuster with the defending champion Detroit Pistons after the Nuggets poor play infuriated him. Davis has the best inside shot in the game and is averaging 20 points so far. He's got exceptional defense, great ballhandling skills for a C and is working on developing his rebounding game. He's also an extremely hard-working fan favorite, especially after breaking out in last year's championship run. He'll take Jacobson's place in the rotation. Gama is as gifted a passer as Brandon Brooks and he'll start at the point while Brooks recovers from a nagging arm injury. It'll be interesting to see how the 24 year old Spainard reacts to the increased playing time he'll get in Denver, as he hasn't been a full-time starter since 2012 with the Spurs. Jamison is a $6.5, $7 mill dead weight for the next two seasons. Phillip Gill's departure also means that Jestor's wishes will be fulfilled and Ron McPherson becomes Denver's new starting SF.

What this means for the Pistons
Jacobson may not have the offensive firepower that Davis does, but he's a far, far better rebounder, something Detroit needed. Davis's point total can be more than made up for by Curry, who still brings terrific offensive game and becomes the new starting PF in addition to his lovely $9.9 million expiring contract. Gill, whose potential everyone still swears by, slides in as the starting SF. Livingston's an end of the bench player.

Advantage: Detroit
The Pistons shed a bad contract and pick up three brand-new starters, all of whom combined are an upgrade over what they had previously. Jestor's desparation really cost him here and it may have handed Detroit the keys to the first repeat champion since the Raffle GM entered the league.

Heh. Fine. Hate on my deal. I still like it for us, though.

We withstand a torrid 26 points and 25 rebounds from Jonte Jones to steal away a 109-103 victory over the Mavericks in our first new-look game. Mateen Yeaton leads us in scoring with 26 points and we have great debuts from Tim Davis (23 points) and Zelipe Gama (15 points, 12 assists).

It's a sweet feeling to have our first win streak of the year as we cut down the Nets 109-98. Another lineup's in place, this one of Gama/Brooks/Yeaton/Okafor/Davis and Mateen Yeaton finally looks comfortable in scoring 22 points, but it was Zelipe Gama who led us in points with a stunning 29. Kirk Hinrich added 10 points off the bench and Chris Washington contributed 11 rebounds with the second team. This is turning to one interesting team.

Back-to-backs always make me nervous, especially when our team is in a fragile state like it is right now. But we whip San Antonio 124-81 as Kirk Hinrich scores 23 starting at SG, Zelipe Gama adds 21 points and Ron McPherson and Chris Washington each score 17 off the bench. We complete the sweep by edging the Rockets 106-94 in Houston behind 23 points from still starting SG Kirk Hinrich, 19 points and 12 rebounds from Tim Davis, 14 reserve points from Ron McPherson and a surprising double-double off the bench of 10 points, 10 rebounds from Chris Washington.

The wins keep coming as we beat the Hornets 95-84, Emeka Okafor a shocking lead scorer with 22 points. Tim Davis was second with 21 points and Zelipe Gama doubled with 14 points and 10 assists. Ron McPherson carried the second team with a double-double of 14 points and 11 rebounds. I can't wait until he becomes a starter. He's really been a key part of this team so far. Incidentally, Patrick Pastner scored 23 points on us and is loving it in New Orleans. Through 13 games, he's averaging a career-high 19.1 points. Good to see him have some more success.

November closes out with a dominanting 115-89 victory over the Cavs, enginereed by the unlikeliest of heroes. Chris Washington came to the rescue after Tim Davis got in major foul trouble, dazzling the home crowd with 26 points and 14 rebounds en route to Player of the Game. Brandon Brooks took over the starting SG job and scored 22, while former starter Kirk Hinrich added 12 points off the bench.

So after our early struggles and the blockbuster trade, we've reversed our fortunes and stand at 9-6 after the first month of play, a half-game behind the Northwest leaders.

Who's leading the divison, you ask?

The Portland Traiblazers. Yeah, them. It's still far too early yet to predict anything, though.

On the other hand, the Lakers are again way out in front at 12-4, with the second place team 6-10. They're a sure bet to run away with it again.

The Raptors (13-4), 76ers (10-4), Pistons (11-3) and Pacers (10-5) are all looking pretty good in the East right now.

I'm not going to do a Yeaton/Buboltz comparison, simply because things have been so screwy with all the lineup changes. On the other hand, Mateen's been pretty quiet at SF, though some of it is attributable to a calf injury he's battling through.

It's going to be an interesting year, that's for sure.

[Northwood_DK]

Great to see this dynasty back on track.

[boberot]

Wow.
I thought I had an itchy trigger finger. ;)

It is a hard instinct to resist, eh? I get enamored of certain players, and often throw offers at teams over the course of a few years to nail him.

Good luck.

[Izulde]

Northwood DK: It's great to be back. :)

boberot: I'm quickly developing a trigger finger mentality in this game, it seems... but when you consider the results of before and after the trade, it looks pretty clear that was the right move to make and I have my own theories on why it's going so well.

[Izulde]

Dallas Mavericks receive
PF Al Horford
Golden State Warriors 2016 2nd round pick

Golden State Warriors receive
PF John West
PF Josh McRoberts

What this means for the Mavericks
Horford's a good all-around player who averages about 12-13 points and 8 rebounds a season. He instantly invigorates Dallas's frontcourt as the new starting PF and gives Jonte Jones a legitimate running mate. The Warriors are 2-14 so far, meaning the top pick in the 2nd round is very likely.

What this means for the Warriors
West, a third-year player taken with the last pick in the 1st round three drafts ago, has been a big-time bust and is inactive. McRoberts has only been a starter once in his career, back in 2011 with Chicago. He's one of those players who does a little bit of everything off the bench, but isn't necessarily exceptional.

Advantage: Dallas
The Mavericks take advantage of Horford's eagerness to get out of Oakland and wholeheartedly rips off the Warriors. There's a reason why it's been eons since Golden State's made the playoffs and a deal like this is a good example of it.

Orlando Magic receive
PF Jeremy Diarra
Atlanta Hawks 2016 2nd round pick

Atlanta Hawks receive
C Reggie McPherson
SG Damon Jupiter

What this means for the Magic
Orlando wanted to get younger in the frontcourt, so they obtained Diarra, a 23 year old in his 4th season (16th overall pick in 2012 draft). Diarra has great ballhandling skills for a big man and has the kind of potential that could see him as a solid offensive option. He takes over as the starting C, displacing 35 year old David Lee. It's a risky move given that the Magic are hovering around the .500 mark and Lee's the much more polished player, but Diarra does intrigue. 2nd round pick is added bonus.

What this means for the Hawks
McPherson has some pretty good rebounding and adequate defense skills, but the 2nd round pick from last season (2.15) is just a bench guy. Jupiter has a gorgeous outside shot and FT shooting talents, but he's a horrible passer, especially for a guard. It's actually somewhat surprising he was a 1st round pick last year (15th overall), as the talent level difference between McPherson and Jupiter isn't all that great. In fact, McPherson's

actually ahead of Jupiter on Atlanta's depth chart.

Advantage: Orlando
Two very lopsided deals outside of the Nuggets/Pistons blockbuster this month and the Magic and Mavericks look to both be greatly improved by them.

...Great, just what I needed, the Mavericks bettered.

Of course, we're looking pretty damned hot ourselves and we continue that streak with our best defensive game of the season, a 104-68 whomping of the Heat. It's another night, another new lineup, this one Gama/Yeaton/McPherson/Okafor/Davis. Mateen Yeaton is so happy to be back at SG he goes out and scores 25, Zelipe Gama an excellent second with 12 points and 10 assists. How bad was the beatdown? We shot 51.9%, the Heat 31% from the floor, 50% 3-point shooting for us versus 21.4% 3-point shooting for Miami. That's the kind of defense that wins championships.

We keep the same lineup for the next game and handily beat the Magic, 94-82. Mateen Yeaton scores 28, Tim Davis second with 20 points, but the real story of the game was Zelipe Gama just narrowly missing a triple-double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists. I just can't get over what an amazing pickup he's been for us thus far.

Our juggernaut stays hot as we thrash the Wizards 122-97. Tim Davis explodes for 25 points and 13 rebounds, Zelipe Gama double-doubles with 18 points and 11 assists and Ron McPherson contributes 17 points and 11 boards. Kirk Hinrich leads the charge off the bench with 15 points in 12 minutes. Brandon Brooks added 10 assists for the reserves.

All things come to an end and our torrid streak stops, 111-95, at the hands of the Raptors. 7 Toronto players in double-digit scoring, led by Nugget-killer Kobe Bryant with 25. I hate him, I really do. A few fine performances on our end, though. Mateen Yeaton put up 26 points, Zelipe Gama scored 24 and Tim Davis contributed 13 points and 11 rebounds. We also appear to have finally settled on a starting five.

It's mid-December and you know what that means. The yearly East Coast road trip.

We start things off well with a 104-89 victory over the Knicks, keyed by 26 points from Mateen Yeaton and 22 points and 10 assists from Zelipe Gama. Thabo Sefolosha scored 10 to be first among the second team.

A doubleheader in Philadelphia and Boston are both equally pleasant. We knock out the 76ers 105-93 as Ron McPherson breaks out for 24 points, Mateen Yeaton adds 17 points and 10 rebounds and Brandon Brooks scores 12 off the bench. The Celtics crash and burn even harder, 107-76, Mateen Yeaton the main arsonist with 29 points. Ron McPherson had his second straight 20+ game with 27 points, Tim Davis had 10 points and 12 rebounds and our bench played quite well. Thabo Sefolosha scored 10 and Chris Washington boosted our boards game with 10 rebounds. And all this despite a horrendous 1-11 night from Zelipe Gama.

Then it's down to Florida for a back-to-back and it's all sunshine for the Nuggets. Miami goes down 102-82 thanks to 24 points from Mateen Yeaton and 15 bench points from Kirk Hinrich. Mateen Yeaton takes care of the Magic as well, scoring 23 in a scrappy 93-75 win. Yeaton got support in the second game from Zelipe Gama (14 points, 13 assists) and Tim Davis (18 points, 12 rebounds).

So that's a 5-0 East Coast trip and I couldn't ask for anything more than that. It's amazing just how much better we've become since acquiring Davis and Gama.

Back at home, we beat the Suns 120-100, Tim Davis the man of the night with 27 points and 9 rebounds. Zelipe Gama had 10 points and 13 assists and Kirk Hinrich put up an exclamation point of 18 points with the reserves.

Mateen Yeaton gets back into the scoring groove with 27 points, Chris Washington adds 14 points off the bench and Kirk Hinrich is a monster on the second team, dazzling with 21 points and 10 assists as we flatten the Sonics 116-80 on the road. It seems like on any given night, there's going to be somebody who steps up in a big way.

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are happy holidays in Denver this year. On the 24th, Ron McPherson plays an early Santa with a career-high 35 points and Zelipe Gama's his helper PG elf with 18 points and 14 assists as we thrash the Mavericks 114-93. Chris Washington contributes 10 rebounds off the bench and all is merry. It's even merrier on Christmas Day when Emeka Okafor turns back time with 22 points and 10 rebounds in a 110-91 victory over Golden State. Other stars of the holiday special included Tim Davis (21 points, 16 rebounds), Mateen Yeaton (24 points) and Chris Washington (12 bench points).

Emeka Okafor must've asked for a glass from the Fountain of Youth for Christmas and gotten it from Santa, because he's terrific for his second straight game later in the week with 25 points, 9 rebounds, an assist, 4 blocks and 4 steals in our 100-89 win against Philadelphia. Tim Davis scores 22, Kirk Hinrich just misses a bench double-double with 9 points and 10 assists and Brandon Brooks adds 13 points with the second team.

New Year's Eve is the most joyous occasion we've seen in a long time, as we beat the Lakers 110-91 on the road. Mateen Yeaton leads us with 27 points, Ron McPherson seconds with 20 points and Tim Davis had 14 points and 10 rebounds. All 5 of our starters scored 13 points or more. Impressive that we were able to overcome 33 points and 12 rebounds from Andrew Bynum. We ring in the New Year the next night with a 104-81 trouncing of the other Los Angeles team. Emeka Okafor has an incredible game of 16 points, 20 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 blocks, Ron McPherson scores 20, Mateen Yeaton 22 points. Zelipe Gama gets his first double-double in a while with 19 points and 10 assists and Brandon Brooks is first of the reserves with 13 points.

What a difference a month makes. We're now the #1 seed in the West with a 24-7 record. The Trailblazers are showing they're no fluke this year at 19-10, putting them in second place, four games behind us.

The Lakers are 19-9 and still hold a ridiculous 7 game lead over the Clippers. Houston's a surprising leader in the Southwest at 19-12, narrowly ahead of the 19-14 Grizzlies. Dallas is a shocking 15-15.

We don't have the NBA's best record, though, as the Raptors are 25-7, enjoying a 4 game lead over the 76ers. The Knicks, I'm smugly pleased to report, are back to their losing ways at 10-20.

Detroit's still in front in the Central at 21-9, though the Pacers are right on their heels at 19-9, the same record Charlotte's using to hold a narrow half-game lead over the Heat in the Southeast.

Paulinho Buboltz-Mateen Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/82 starts - 19.1 PPG 8.7 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.4 SPG
2015 Stats: 28 games/22 starts - 14.2 PPG 8.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.4 BPG 1.0 SPG

Note: Paulinho Buboltz broke his foot on the 28th and is out roughly two months.

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/80 starts - 23.2 PPG 3.6 APG 5.2 RPG 1.7 BPG 1.3 SPG
2015 Stats: 31 games/30 starts - 19.6 PPG 2.4 APG 3.7 RPG 1.3 BPG 1.1 SPG

Yeaton's stats are skewed somewhat thanks to the crazy lineup shufling Larry Brown did before settling on:

PG Zelipe Gama
SG Mateen Yeaton
SF Ron McPherson
PF Emeka Okafor
C Tim Davis

Incidentally, on the Pacers, Ben Gordon is still off the hook, averaging 26 points a game. Joakim Noah is still the starting PF, even though he's having his worst season since 2012, his last year in a Nuggets uniform. Leroy Wright keeps plugging along as a solid bench player.

Eddy Curry's second on the Pistons in scoring, averaging 15.5 points. Dan Jacobson's averaging 11.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks, but I'll still take Tim Davis's 17 points and 8.2 rebounds over that.

[Izulde]

Philadelphia 76ers receive
SG Dale Stukes

New Jersey Nets receive
SG Jeremy Thompson

What this means for the 76ers
Stukes, taken in the 2nd round of the 2012 draft (2.3) by the Nets, has a good outside shot and some scoring instincts. Unfortunately, the 26 year old hasn't really gotten the chance to showcase his skills yet, but he should see some more minutes in Philadelphia.

What this means for the Nets
Thompson was the 16th overall pick last year and is raw and reportedly cancerous. Yes, he can play both guard spots and SF, but he's an end of the bench player and extremely raw, with questionable potential. It's hard to see any justification for this deal by New Jersey.

Advantage: Philadelphia
New Jersey should've never made this deal. Period. They're actually worse for it.

Boston Celtics receive
PG Devin Harris

Chicago Bulls receive
SG Jamal Crawford
Boston Celtics 2016 2nd round pick

What this means for the Celtics
Boston desparately needed a pass-first PG to backup Delonte West and they got a beaut of one in Harris, who also plays good defense and can score off the bench. The $7.3 million expiring contract is a nice bonus as well.

What this means for the Bulls
Crawford's still a big-time 3 point threat and he'll be buried on the Bulls' bench, but he's an even better $8.5 mill. expiring contract. The 2nd round pick won't be worth much, though.

Advantage: Boston
The Celtics addressed a crisis-sized hole in their rotation and gave up comparatively little for it.

Memphis Grizzlies receive
SG Larry Hughes
Dallas Mavericks 2016 2nd round pick

Dallas Mavericks receive
PG Damian Giesen

What this means for the Grizzlies
Good offense and very good defense out of Hughes means he strengthens the Grizzlies' bench considerably. It's uncertain how much PT he'll actually get, though. The Mavericks 2nd round pick will be middling at best.

What this means for the Mavericks
Giesen is raw, but he's an extremely intriguing prospect. If he can develop his scoring instincts some more and be a little better passer, he'd been worthy of a future SG spot, where he's more naturally suited. Taken with the 23rd pick last season.

Advantage: Draw
Both sides get a little something out of this, but the impact is likely to be minimal unless Giesen develops into something.

At least the Mavericks didn't win that deal.

We get a few days off before our first couple games after New Year's, a back-to-back in which we roll triumphant. Tim Davis and Mateen Yeaton combine for 23 and 22 points respectively and Emeka Okafor doubles with 14 points and 13 rebounds to handily down San Antonio 100-81. The Suns get blistered 130-92 the next night as Mateen Yeaton scorches them for 40 points and Zelipe Gama is magnificient in his own fashion with 27 points, 13 assists and 7 steals.

Our white-hot dominance finally comes to an end in a 114-110 OT loss to the Kings in Sacramento on a doubleheader's front-end. Tim Davis fouled out with just 11 minutes on the floor, even though Chris Washington did his damnedest in relief, scoring 20 points with 9 rebounds off the bench. Zelipe Gama fouled out as well, finishing with 20 points and and 14 assists. Ron McPherson scored 25 and Emeka Okafor picked up a weak double-double of 10 points, 11 rebounds. No problem though, as we knock off the Lakers 95-87 the next night behind 24 points from Mateen Yeaton.

Mateen Yeaton dominates again in our next game, putting up a line of 22 points, 2 assists, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks and 5 steals in a 105-88 steamrolling of the Timberwolves. Ron McPherson scored 22, Tim Davis 20 to complete the triumvirate of T-Wolf slayers.

Another back-to-back, another pair of wins. We crush Golden State 110-89, as all 5 starters score 14 points or more. Zelipe Gama had 18 points and 15 assists, Tim Davis 14 points and 13 rebounds and Ron McPherson and Mateen Yeaton both broke 20 points at 22 and 20 respectively. Chris Washington highlighted the reserves with 12 bench rebounds. Our defense plays magnificiently in beating the Sonics 99-86 the next night. Mateen Yeaton scores 29, Tim Davis gets 10 points and 17 rebounds and Brandon Brooks paces the bench with 10 points.

And that's when the medical report comes back.

Tim Davis has a torn ACL. He'll be out over a year.

That scream and banging of head against wall you just heard was me. As much as I love Chris Washington's stepping up off the bench, he's not a legitimate starting C.

But then, looking at the free agent market and the trade market, there's really nothing there to be had without disrupting the team even further. So we'll just have to play with this grimly dealt hand and think about adjusting later as needed.

We hammer the Grizzlies 115-98 in the next game as Ron McPherson scores 27, Mateen Yeaton puts up 25 points, Zelipe Gama gets 12 points and 10 assists and Brandon Brooks and Kirk Hinrich lead the reserves with 13 and 11 points a piece.

A brutal road stretch comes up next and it's going to be a real litmus test for how we'll do the rest of the season. We just narrowly edge Dallas 96-91 as Ron McPherson obliterates the Mavericks for 31 points and 10 rebounds. Emeka Okafor chimes in with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 6 blocks and Mateen Yeaton scores 20 to complete the save. As one might expect, Jonte Jones shredded us for 30 points and 14 rebounds and I'm hoping we don't draw Dallas in the playoffs.

We swing our way through a doubleheader and hit homeruns on both nights. Chicago goes down 99-76, thanks to Ron McPherson continuing to step up after Davis's injury with 26 points. Mateen Yeaton scores 22, Zelipe Gama garners 14 points and 10 assists and Kirk Hinrich tops the second team with 11 points. Center-heavy Detroit can do no better against us, falling 96-79 as Mateen Yeaton scores 26 and our bench comes through in the clutch with 15 points from Thabo Sefolosha and 10 points from Brandon Brooks.

Our closest games in a long time come with the next back-to-back. We narrowly beat Milwaukee 91-88, withstanding a furious fourth quarter Bucks rally. Mateen Yeaton singlehandedly saved us in the game with 26 points. The game against the Pacers is even tighter, but we pull out the 97-95 victory on the strength of 33 points from Ron McPherson and 11 and 10 bench points from Thabo Sefolosha and Kirk Hinrich. Even without Paulinho Buboltz, the Pacers still have a deadly backcourt, as evidenced by Ben Gordon's 30 points and Tony Parker's 25 points. Unfortunately for Indiana's fans, those two were about all the offense the Pacers could muster.

We're able to catch a breath and enjoy our thrilling, perfect run for a few days before ending the month with a doubleheader. We thrash the Knicks 96-67 at home with crushing defense, 12 points and 16 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and 14 bench points from Thabo Sefolosha. Unfortunately, January concludes on a sour note, a 98-87 loss to the Trailblazers, despite 22 and 23 points from Mateen Yeaton and Ron McPherson and 12 points and 11 assists from Zelipe Gama.

That last game also featured a new starting C. Chris Washington, in the 8 games since Tim Davis's injury, has scored 2 points for 6 of the 8 games and scored 4 and 6 points the other two contests. Given this horrific lack of production out of the five spot, Lindsey Williamson took over against the Trailblazers and had a comparative bouty of 8 points and 9 rebounds before fouling out.

I'm thinking we still need to do something about our C situation. There's a nice one-year rental I've got my eye on and I'm tempted to go ahead and make the trade if I can pull it off.

Unfortunately, the trade's not going down as the other team wants too much for my initial replacement.

So I work a bit and come up with another deal.

Denver Nuggets receive
C Tyson Chandler
SF Keith Bosl
Boston Celtics 2016 1st round pick
Boston Celtics 2017 2nd round pick

Boston Celtics receive
C Chris Washington
Denver Nuggets 2016 1st round pick
New Orleans Hornets 2017 2nd round pick
Denver Nuggets 2018 2nd round pick

What this means for the Nuggets
After Washington's disastrous outing as the starting C, following initially promising bench performances, the Nuggets' front office wanted to commit to Lindsey Williamson, the 2nd year player they're quietly high on, as the starting C for the duration of the season. Enter Chandler, who played for the Nuggets in 2011 and who, despite his advanced years, still plays solid defense, knows how to draw a foul and can rebound well. As the first C off the bench, his PT and numbers will skyrocket. The Celtics, though they're playing quite well lately, will still garner the Nuggets a higher 1st round pick than Denver's likely to get right now. Bosl was cut immediately after the trade.

What this means for the Celtics
Washington's shown with the Nuggets that he can be a suprisingly good bench player and Boston's deep enough on the bench that he won't ever have to start. The burning question, of course, is whether his performances with Denver were just a fluke, as he'd not shown anything in his previous pro stints to indicate he'd be much good.

Advantage: Draw
How this deal pans out depends on Williamson. If he's a noteworthy improvement over Washington as the starting C like GM Jestor believes and if the Nuggets keep winning, this will turn out more on the side of the Nuggets. If, however, the Nuggets rise in draft position comparable to the Celtics, they've needlessly given away a probable high 2nd rounder (the Hornets pick) and the Celtics technically win.

I really want to see if Lindsey can do it.

As for the draft pick, we're presently 37-9 and are so far in front in the West, it's not funny. The next closest team is the Portland Trailblazers at 28-16, who are both 8 games back of us in the division and in the conference's top seed race.

Tight race in the Southwest, with Dallas at 25-19 half a game in front of the Rockets, 1.5 in front of the Grizzlies. The Pacific is still dominated by the 27-16 Lakers, though the Kings are finally giving the division another .+500 team at 23-22.

Toronto still rules the East at 34-12 and they're 5.5 and 6 respectively ahead of the 76ers and Celtics, Boston holding a 28-18 mark.

Exciting race in the Central, where the Pacers and Pistons are deadlocked for the divison and the Bucks are still very much in play at 2.5 back. Charlotte leads the Heat in the Southeast by a game and a half at 25-17.

I think we can still keep the #1 seed in the West even without Tim Davis. Whether or not we can make that championship push... Now that's the huge question mark.

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/82 starts - 19.1 PPG 8.7 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.4 SPG
2015 Stats: 28 games/22 starts - 14.2 PPG 8.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.4 BPG 1.0 SPG

Note: Paulinho Buboltz is still out another month with his broken foot.

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/80 starts - 23.2 PPG 3.6 APG 5.2 RPG 1.7 BPG 1.3 SPG
2015 Stats: 46 games/45 starts - 20.7 PPG 2.3 APG 3.8 RPG 1.5 BPG 1.2 SPG

[boberot]

Tough blow. Good thing you have a cushion built up. Nice move getting Chandler as a nice steady, solid vet to shoure up the C spot.

[Izulde]

Tough blow. Good thing you have a cushion built up. Nice move getting Chandler as a nice steady, solid vet to shoure up the C spot.

Yeah, after watching Washington contribute zero offense for 8 games, I'd had enough. Plus, I've got a good feeling about Williamson and want to give him some more PT.

I'm a little worried about having overpaid for the Celtics 1st round pick, but we'll see what comes of it.

[Izulde]

Chicago Bulls receive
C Eugene Whitmore

Golden State Warriors receive
PF Chezley McCleary
Chicago Bulls 2016 2nd round pick

What this means for the Bulls
Whitmore, the 8th overall pick by the Magic in 2011, was let go after two seasons, whereupon he signed with the Warriors and developed into a good rebounder and a ferocious shotblocker with enough offense to be considered a force. At 7'3, 300lbs, he's a big, big body as the new starting PF and provides protection for still developing Austin Buller.

What this means for the Warriors
Chezley's a $6.8 million expiring contract and the Bulls are almost as terrible as the Warriors this year, so it's a high 2nd round pick they can bank on. The money will allow Golden State to be free agent players next year.

Advantage: Chicago
This is a huge move that will help develop Buller's confidence to have somebody like Whitmore alongside of him. The faster Buller develops, the faster Chicago becomes a good team again. It's a good deal for Golden State as well, though. They need to make a splash next offseason to show the fans they're making an effort to improving and the money that will be freed up goes a long way towards that.

Seattle Supersonics receive
SF Hakim Warrick

Houston Rockets receive
PG Luke Ridnour

What this means for the Sonics
Superstar SF Brooks Smith is out with a broken arm and Seattle's season is spiraling down the tubes. Warrick gives the Sonics a respectable all-around bench player to try and fill in the gap.

What this means for the Rockets
Houston's playing well, but their backcourt is suspect with former 1st round Rockets draft pick Mackel Greenleaf (29th overall, 2009) coming back to the team this offseason to run the point and former Nuggets 1st round pick Duez Walker starting at SG. Ridnour instantly injects the Rockets with a legitimate, proven starting NBA PG and dramatically improves the backcourt situation. Even better, he's an $8.2 mill. expiring contract.

Advantage: Houston
Both teams gave up players who didn't figure much in their rotations, but the Rockets got a lot more bang for their buck and can put themselves back on top of the division with this move.

I'm paranoid that we don't have enough frontcourt depth, so I sign 25 year old PF Mike Nooner from the Dakota Great Apes. A third year player, he was originally drafted in the 2nd round by Portland (2.12, 2012), and has excellent defensive skills with the potential to blossom into a respectable offensive and rebounding player. He can play SF/PF and slots in as the 8th man for now.

We thrash the NBA's worst team in Golden State, 111-84. Mateen Yeaton scores a breathtaking 42 points and Emeka Okafor bulldozes his way through to 19 points and 11 rebounds.

An important divisional doubleheader comes next and we secure the sweep. 22 points from Mateen Yeaton and 13 bench points from Kirk Hinrich are enough to put away the Jazz 95-80. Balanced offense carries us past the Timberwolves 91-81, signified by 11 and 10 bench points respectively from Brandon Brooks and Kirk Hinrich.

When you shoot 59.7% as a team and hold the opposition to 32.5%, including 10% from 3-point range, a blowout's going to happen and it does in our 103-74 pummeling of the Cavaliers. Mateen Yeaton leads the way with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Ron McPherson a capable sidekick with 22 points.

My heart nearly stops against the Nets, but we rally in the fourth quarter to escape with a 99-97 win. Emeka Okafor scores 20, Ron McPherson 25. Zelipe Gama was absolutely brilliant in passing, netting 18 assists.

It's a back-to-back to finish us off before the All-Star break and we win both games handily. Mateen Yeaton handles the Hawks with 28 points in a 92-80 win, with a surprise near bench double-double by 39 year old Antawn Jamison of 9 points and 11 rebounds. It's Mateen Yeaton again in the following 95-81 victory over the Bobcats with 27 points, Zelipe Gama doubling with 12 points and 12 assists.

All-Star Break

An article appears in one of the sports magazines, an excerpt of which I'm including here.

"...But perhaps there's been no bigger first-half surprise than the results of the Pistons/Nuggets blockbuster trade that sent Tim Davis, Zelipe Gama and Antawn Jamison to the Nuggets for Dan Jacobson, Phillip Gill, Eddy Curry and Shaun Livingston.

Davis and Gama combined to ignite the Nuggets offense, sending a 3-6 team on a blistering 24-2 run before Davis was lost for the year with a torn ACL. Although Gama's numbers aren't noticeably different than last year's starting PG, Brandon Brooks, what the Spainard brings to the table is electrifying stealing on defense and a sensational outside shot. Jamison has been a quietly successful contributor on the bench, defying age and decayed defense to provide some points and rebounds.

The Nuggets are still winning despite being woefully thin at center, a position they wouldn't have been in had they not dealt away three big men to the Pistons in that deal.

Jacobson is having arguably his best season ever in averaging 11.9 points and 10.7 rebounds and Eddy Curry, while a step slower than last year, has 15.4 points and 5.8 rebounds a game to his credit. Although Gill lost his starting spot at SF to Marcel Mance after a few weeks, he's averaging almost eight points, six rebounds and over a block a game as the Pistons' 6th man. It's been a long time since the Pistons have had this powerful a nucleus in the frontcourt.

Looking to the future, this deal appears to heavily benefit the Nuggets. While Davis is lost for this year, he gives Denver a genuine point-scorer inside, something Denver hasn't had since the days of Marcus Camby and he'll only be 25 next season. Gama was thought to be the future at PG, but he's quickly established that he's the answer -now-. In fact, GM Jestor was so shrewd in this trade, he's laid the foundations for a Denver dynasty, for as the following box shows, he's assembled a young, talented starting lineup.

PG Zelipe Gama (24)
SG Mateen Yeaton (27)
SF Ron McPherson (21)
PF Emeka Okafor (33)
C Tim Davis (24)

Only Okafor is over 30 in that group, so the prospects are very bright for the Nuggets. However, there is a concern that they could fall into the trap that the Portland Trailblazers of recent past have, with a gifted set of starters and a weak bench. Of the current Denver reserves, only Brooks (29) and Lindsey Williamson (23) are under 30 and Jamison will be 40 next year.

Still, one has to like Denver's chances to be title contenders for years, particularly given the stockpiled first round picks waiting in 2017 and 2018 (New Orleans and Utah respectively).

Even this season, the records say it all at the All-Star break: Denver 44-9, Detroit 32-19."

True. Oh so damned true.

Kirk Hinrich wins the 3-point shootout for the second time since I've entered the league, both years in a Denver uniform.

The Sophs destroy the Rooks 101-87 behind 34 points from MVP Justin Richler. The Canadian's been as good as advertised and is currently averaging 20.6 points a game as a 20 year old. The scary part is, if my scouts are right, the young Net will be as good if not better than Lebron James at scoring the time all is said and done.

Absolutely thrilling All-Star game. The East beats the West 110-109 in OT on a last-second shot by Carmelo Anthony, the MVP for the miracle jumper and his 24 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, a block and 2 steals. Mateen Yeaton again started at G for the West and led all scorers with 27 points. We got a nice surprise when Zelipe Gama was named as an All-Star reserve, even if he didn't get to play, much like perenially shafted Ben Gordon, who got his usual All-Star listing with no minutes on the floor.

Zelipe was absolutely ecstatic at getting to be part of the All-Star team and didn't care that he didn't get on the floor. It's been a miraculous season for our Spainard, who had only that 2012 season in San Antonio to his credit as a full-time starter. In fact, 2011 and 2012, both with the Spurs, were the only two years he's started an NBA game period. Needless to say, I'm thrilled for him, too.

I'm even happier when we beat the Celtics 81-63 in our first game back from the break behind 30 points and 11 rebounds from Mateen Yeaton and 13 points and 13 rebounds from Emeka Okafor. The Celtics are still on fire at 34-20 after the loss, but every little bit helps when trying to give them a worse record. We held Boston to 29.9% shooting, a franchise record.

Our first loss in quite a while happens 106-96 in Memphis against the Grizzlies. Mateen Yeaton scores 23 and Mike Nooner adds 10 bench points, but it's not enough to overcome the Grizz's starting five, especially 33 points and 10 rebounds from Chris Gearheart. I have a lot of respect for that Memphis front office and how they've managed to turn the organization around.

We bounce back with a 120-86 asskicking of the Hornets as Mateen Yeaton scores 24, Emeka Okafor adds 22 points, Zelipe Gama magnificiently doubles with 19 points and 16 assists and Kirk Hinrich scores 12 off the bench.

Our concluding game of the month is against Atlanta. The Hawks play us tough, but in the end, 26 points from Mateen Yeaton and 10 points and 11 assists from Zelipe Gama are enough to pull out the 100-94 victory.

At the end of the short month, we're in love with our 47-10 record, especially since it has us 12 games up on the Traiblazers both for the division and the #1 seed.

The Lakers are looking suprisingly mortal without Kobe, but 31-24 is still good enough to be well ahead of the 30-28 Kings for the Pacific division.

Houston and Dallas are deadlocked atop the Southwest, Memphis is 2 games back, San Antonio 3.5. The gut-wrenching part of it is, if the playoffs were held today, the Grizzlies would be the #8 seed and play us. That's one matchup I want to avoid at all costs.

The East still has the Raptors on top at 41-15. The 76ers, like the Traiblazers, are behind in both the division and the top seed, only Philly's just 4 back, Boston 5.5 back.

Detroit's barely hanging on the Central, as Indiana's a half-game back and the Bucks are in third at four games behind.

The Southeast has a number of teams still in play. Charlotte's out in front, with the Magic in second (2.5), the Heat third (4) and the Wizards fourth (5.5).

Biggest surprise? The Knicks surging to 26-31. There's still a few teams fairly ahead of them for the 8th spot in the playoffs, but at least they can talk about themselves as a possibility again. My expectation is that they'll fall short like they did last year, though.

Nobody averaging 30 points a game. Nigel Abel's at 29 even and Jonte Jones (26.4), Ben Gordon (26.2) and Carmelo Anthony (26) are clustered right tight behind him. Mateen Yeaton's 15th at 21.4.

This is the biggest group of players with more than 10 assists this late in a season I've ever seen. Lebron James of all people is first with 11.1 assists, followed by Dwayne Wade (10.7), Gilbert Arenas (10.3), Kenny Graham (10.2) and T.J. Ford (10.1). Zelipe Gama is 8th with 9.3.

Greg Oden has a comfortable lead in rebounding with 13.5, 12.3 and 12.2 respectively by Andrew Bynum and Andrew Bogut 2nd and 3rd. Dan Jacobson is 11th with 10.6.

Huge number of 3+ blockers this late in the year, too. Andrei Kirilenko naturally leads with 3.5, but Josh Smith (3.2) and Narcyz Malinomowski and Kyle Jordan at 3 rejections a piece are in play as well.

Nobody over 2 steals a game. Rudy Gay and Gerald Wallace are tied at 1.8, with a slew of others at 1.7.

For the rookies, Andre Davis is averaging 13.8 points a game, Justin Barnes 10.5. Justin Barnes leads in class assists with 3.9, Pete Bannister second with 3.7.

Patrick Riley is the top rebounder by far with 8.8 boards, Andre Davis (5.7) and Chris Adams (5) behind him. Patrick Riley also has a commanding lead in class blocks with 2.6, followed by Garrick Reece (1.7) and Andre Davis (1.5). Andre Davis, Patrick Riley and Alan Edwards are tied for the class thief lead with 0.8 swipes a game.

Looks like I was right about the Kings getting a steal in Barnes with the 12th overall pick.

[Izulde]

Toronto Raptors receive
SF Dusty Hammond
New Jersey Nets 2016 2nd round pick

New Jersey Nets receive
SF Vidal White

What this means for the Raptors
Hammond, the 19th overall pick by the Hawks in 2011, has seen his PPG go down each season he's been in the league. Despite this, Toronto still believes the 27 year old can develop into a viable sparkplug off the bench.

What this means for the Nets
White, 25, was taken 29th overall by the Raptors in 2013 and has potential to be a solid all-around NBA reserve, but hasn't gotten the opportunity to show what he can do. At any rate, he's two years younger and much more polished than Hammond.

Advantage: Draw
Too many X-factors here to say for certain who will end up better in the end.

Boston Celtics receive
C Kyle Jordan

Minnesota Timberwolves receive
PF Federico Gomez

What this means for the Celtics
Jordan is a phenomenal shotblocker who's been a consistent 10 and 10 guy for much of his career in Minnesota, ever since he was taken 3rd overall by the Timberwolves in 2010. Boston's experimenting with putting him at SF, where his size is a big asset against such powerful frontlines in the East as Toronto's and Detroit's.

What this means for the Timberwolves
Gomez, taken 16th overall in 2009, has spent his entire career on the Celtics' bench and fairly well mired in the bottom. He won't be a key player in the Timberwolves' rotation either and he's got two years left on his contract, making it questionable just why Minnesota traded for him. Is this a tank move by the T-Wolves?

Advantage: Boston
Although Jordan never lived up to his lofty billing, he was an adequate starting C. The move cripples the Timberwolves' frontcourt and virtually ensures that Kelvin Moody will follow Kevin Garnett's career track, which isn't a good thing for the team's fortunes.

I'll admit, I'm stunned Minnesota got so little back for Jordan. Gomez is mediocre in every respect. If the Timberwolves were going to trade their starting C, they could've gotten a lot more for him than what they did.

But oh well. Their loss.

High-profile matchup against the Pacers to open March. Mateen Yeaton puts on one of the greatest performances I've ever seen with 48 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, a block and a steal and Ron McPherson scores 26 in the 114-95 blowout. Paulinho Buboltz is back in the lineup for Indiana, but even that couldn't rally Indiana.

23 points and 12 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and 19 points and 13 assists from Zelipe Gama are enough to get us a 94-85 victory over the Clippers.

Outstanding defense stifles the ascendant Traiblazers 105-70 in the next game, our offense provided by Ron McPherson (27 points), Zelipe Gama (10 points, 15 assists), Brandon Brooks (10 bench points) and Mike Nooner (11 bench points). Nooner's very quickly putting himself in a position to get an NBA-level contract next year, from us if nothing else.

A nice break precedes our next pair of games, a back-to-back against San Antonio and Phoenix. The Spurs play us tough like they usually do, but we eke out a 104-101 victory thanks to 28 points from Mateen Yeaton, 22 points from Ron McPherson, 16 points and 15 assists from Zelipe Gama and a nice 12 bench rebounds from Tyson Chandler. No such thrills at home the next night, as Mateen Yeaton dwarfs the Suns with 31 points. Ron McPherson scores 25 and Emeka Okafor double-doubles with 10 points and 14 rebounds to seal the deal in the 104-69 blowout.

It seems as though we're due to lose about one game a month and that loss comes against the Bobcats, 103-96, despite 27 points from Mateen Yeaton and a surprising 12 bench points from Tyson Chandler. Our C position is still extremely ugly and we may doomed for the playoffs as a result.

A 102-82 rocking of the Clippers a couple nights later improves my mood. Mateen Yeaton's the usual master tonic with 31 points, Zelipe Gama contributing 14 points and 13 assists. Tyson Chandler is again the man on the bench, with 12 points.

Beating the Bucks 111-102 is always fun, especially when Mateen Yeaton torches Milwaukee for 42 points. Emeka Okafor added 20 points of his own and those two were enough to secure the win.

We thrash the Wizards 105-80, Mateen Yeaton scoring 28 to continue his hot streak. He's joined in the 20+ scoring club by Ron McPherson with 25 points and Emeka Okafor with 23 points, who made it a double-double with 10 rebounds besides. Brandon Brooks contributed 10 assists from the bench.

The Lakers really are having a down year this season, as our 108-82 buttwhipping shows. Mateen Yeaton scores 27 and a record 3 bench players receive double-digit points. Mike Nooner scored 10, 39 year old Antawn Jamison 13 and Thabo Sefolosha 11. That's the kind of depth I love to see.

Want to know how bad our 104-87 beatdown of the Kings was? Lindsay Williamson became the first starting C on our team to reach double digit scoring since January 16th with 12 points. How long a stretch has it been? It's my dad's birthday, May 24th, so 2 months and 8 days from the last time our starting C had 10+ points. That fact was lost however in the brightness of Emeka Okafor's 23 points and 16 rebounds, Ron McPherson's 20 points and 12 points and 14 assists from Zelipe Gama.

The Suns ambush us in Phoenix and we lose 108-97. Mateen Yeaton did his best with 24 points, Emeka Okafor grabbed 13 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks and Brandon Brooks scored 18 off the bench, but fact is, we got caught napping.

We get back on track with a 97-83 win over the Jazz, keyed by 28 points from Mateen Yeaton, 22 points from Ron McPherson, 11 points and 14 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, 10 points and 12 assists from Zelipe Gama and 10 bench points courtesy of Antawn Jamison.

We finish the month off with an excellent doubleheader sweep. San Antonio gets crushed 107-84 due to Mateen Yeaton's 33 points, a great double by Emeka Okafor of 16 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks and 11 bench points out of Kirk Hinrich. We follow that up with a 119-103 road hammering of the Trailblazers with Antawn Jamison getting the surprise start at C. Mateen Yeaton cuts Portland for 39 points and Zelipe Gama has 15 points and 13 assists.

I'm damned proud of the toughess of this team. Unlike last year, when I thought the squad lacked resilancy, this version of the Denver Nuggets showed they could overcome adversity (after yours truly made the right move, of course) and I've got a good feeling despite not having Tim Davis.

With 10 games left in the regular season we're 60-12 and have clinched the #1 seed in the West for the second year in a row.

There's still a ton of tight races going on, though. To wit:

Southwest
Memphis - 38-33
Houston - 38-35 (1 GB)
San Antonio - 36-37 (3 GB)
Dallas - 34-38 (4.5 GB)

Pacific
Sacramento - 41-33
L.A. Lakers - 37-35 (3 GB)
L.A. Clippers - 34-39 (6.5 GB)

Yep, that's right. The Purple and Gold are in second place and Dallas has tumbled all the way back to fourth place. There's still a ton of jockeying to be done for playoff seeding, but if the postseason started today, we'd playing the Spurs, the team I most hate to go against.

East Races

Atlantic
Toronto - 53-19
Philadelphia - 47-25 (6 GB)

Central
Indiana - 47-24
Detroit - 44-28 (3.5 GB)
Milwaukee - 42-30 (5.5 GB)

Southeast
Orlando - 42-31
Charlotte - 41-31 (0.5 GB)
Miami - 36-38 (6.5 GB)
Washington - 34-37 (7 GB)

The Pacers have been absolutely amazing lately and have surged to the front of the Central. Boston, by the way, is 41-31, so we'll be out of the lottery, but we'll still probably have a much better pick than the 30th spot that we're very close to clinching.

Tough crowd in the East this year. 41-31 would be the 8th seed in the conference right now.

You almost have to feel sorry for the 32-39 Knicks, who are just getting consistently competitive when the conference is rising in power.

[Izulde]

For us, the last ten games are going to be anti-climatic, given that we've locked everything save the NBA's best record up, but play through them we must. I just hope we get through without any more major injuries.

Our first is a back-to-back road showing and we win both. Antawn Jamison gets the first double-double from a starting C of ours in about 3 months with 14 points and 10 rebounds. Pretty damned impressive for a 39 year old. Emeka Okafor grabs 12 points and 10 boards, Mateen Yeaton scores 29 and Thabo Sefolosha adds 10 bench points in the 102-95 victory over the Grizzlies. New Orleans plays us surprisingly tough, but in the end 27 points from Emeka Okafor and 25 points from Ron McPherson are enough to grind out the 99-93 victory.

A divisional doubleheader, a deuce of wins. We beat Minnesota 94-82 as Mateen Yeaton scores 30, Zelipe Gama has 12 points and 11 assists and Thabo Sefolosha scores 14 off the bench. We also had all five starters with 10 points or more, as Antawn Jamison is working out surprisingly well in the five spot. Great duel between Brooks Smith (41 points, 8 rebounds, an assist, 4 blocks) and Mateen Yeaton (39 points, 4 steals), but Thabo Sefolosha's 16 bench points net us the 106-96 victory over the Sonics. One of the reasons I made sure to get Thabo is because he's a playoff warrior and he seems to be heating up just about the right time.

Mateen Yeaton smacks around Golden State for 27 points and Zelipe Gama comes up with 16 points, 15 assists and 5 steals in a 108-85 romperstomping of the Warriors. The victory brings us to 65 wins, a nice number to hit.

34 points from Mateen Yeaton, 16 points and 16 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and 17 points in 21 minutes from reserve Thabo Sefolosha are enough to key another blowout, this one 112-87 over the hapless Hornets. We've long since wrapped up the best regular season record in the league.

For the first time since the start of the year, we lose two games in row, dropping both ends of a back-to-back. Memphis ambushes us 107-95, in Denver no less, ruining 23 points from Ron McPherson and 11 bench points a piece from Tyson Chandler and Brandon Brooks. The Rockets come back the next night in the fourth quarter and suckerpunch us for the 91-89 loss. Mateen Yeaton (26 points), Emeka Okafor (11 points, 13 rebounds) and Brandon Brooks (13 bench points) did their gamest, but it wasn't enough.

Am I upset by these losses? Not really. Like I said, we've everything locked up, whereas the Grizzlies and Rockets have things to fight for, like oh, say, the division title perhaps?

My point's proven when we end the regular season with blowout victories on consecutive nights. 108-77 is the final scoreline against the Suns, Ron McPherson the Game MVP with 20 points, Brandon Brooks and Mike Nooner providing excellent bench support with 13 and 12 points respectively. It's our backcourt of Mateen Yeaton (38 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals) and Zelipe Gama (22 points, 12 assists) that punches out Portland 115-94 in the season finale.

And so we finish with a 68-14 record, the best mark we've had since I've been here. I'd like to have gotten the 70 wins, but we'll take what we got, for sure.

West Conference Seeding
1. Denver Nuggets (68-14)
2. Portland Trailblazers (49-33)
3. L.A. Lakers (44-38)
4. Memphis Grizzlies (44-38)
5. Houston Rockets (43-39)
6. Sacramento Kings (43-39)
7. San Antonio Spurs (42-40)
8. Utah Jazz (41-41)

We dodge a huge bullet in drawing the Jazz as opposed to the Spurs. 3 in-division matchups in the first round. Should make for a great set of opening games. I'm particularly curious to see how the Grizzlies/Rockets series is going to turn out.

East Conference Seeding
1. Toronto Raptors (62-20)
2. Philadelphia 76ers (55-27)
3. Indiana Pacers (54-28)
4. Orlando Magic (48-34)
5. Detroit Pistons (51-31)
6. Milwaukee Bucks (46-36)
7. Boston Celtics (44-38)
8. Charlotte Bobcats (44-38)

Absolutely brutal field in the East Conference in terms of regular season record.

Who was the 9th team left standing at the altar? The 41-41 New York Knicks, who finally obtained .500, only to have their hearts broken.

Schadenfreude, anyone?

Nigel Abel just misses the 30 point per game mark with 29.9. Carmelo Anthony took second with 25.8, just ahead of Jonte Jones (25.7), Ben Gordon (25.5) and Brooks Smith (25.3). Mateen Yeaton was 6th at 23.6 points.

A record 5 players averaging double-digit assists: Dwayne Wade (10.8), LeBron James (10.7), T.J. Ford (10.3), Gilbert Arenas (10.2) and Kenny Graham (10). It was -this- close to being 7, as our own Zelipe Gama and Calvis Graham finished with 9.9. Paulinho Buboltz was a comparatively distant 14th with 8.3 assists a game.

Greg Oden took the rebounding average title easily with 13.9. Andrew Bogut (12.1) and Kelvin Moody (12) were the only other ones to even break 12. Dan Jacobson was 14th with 10.2 boards a game.

After all that rejection going on in the first half of the season, just two finished with over 3 rejections per game; Andrei Kirilenko with 3.6 and Josh Smith with 3. Emeka Okafor landed 18th with 2.1 blocks a game.

Gerald Wallace was the only one even close to two steals a game at 1.9. Mateen Yeaton was 9th with 1.5 swipes a game.

Andre Davis (13.8) and Justin Barnes (11.7) were the only two first years with 10+ point averages. Justin Barnes also averaged 5.1 assists for tops in the category, Pete Bannister second with 3.9 dishes per game. Rebounds fell to Patrick Riley by a large margin at 8.7, as the second place finisher was Andre Davis with 5.7 rebounds. Patrick Riley also took rookie blocks per game with 2.5, Garick Reece second at an appropriately even 2. David Davis and Patrick Riley tied for the class steals lead at 0.8 per game.

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/82 starts - 19.1 PPG 8.7 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.4 SPG
2015 Stats: 55 games/48 starts - 14.1 PPG 8.3 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.2 SPG


Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/80 starts - 23.2 PPG 3.6 APG 5.2 RPG 1.7 BPG 1.3 SPG
2015 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.6 PPG 2.4 APG 4.5 RPG 1.6 BPG 1.5 SPG

Interesting sets of numbers, no?

[Izulde]

It's great to be back in the playoffs, better still to end up as the #1 seed for the second year in a row. Even without Tim Davis, I still think we've got a shot.

As usual, the article:

"It's been a miraculous season in Denver, where the Nuggets still finished with the best record in the entire league despite losing starting center Tim Davis for the year. But the playoffs are a whole new ballgame and the Denver will certainly be challenged, even against the modestly .500 Jazz.

Point Guard
Zelipe Gama vs. A.J. Dunkley
Gama blossomed this season, becoming a full-time starter for the first time since 2012 with the Spurs and earning an All-Star nod after he was dealt to the Nuggets as part of the Davis trade. He's invigorated Denver's offense and is the perfect passing machine, yet also capable of scoring if needed. 11.8 points per game, 9.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.3 blocks and 1.4 steals indicate that he's a very good all-around player and a really pleasant surprise for Denver.

Dunkley's a better scorer than Gama and averaged 14.9 points a game in the regular season. He also averaged 8.5 assists and 1.1 steals and is in truth a better passer than the Spainard. This is going to be a very intriguing matchup to watch.

Advantage: Draw

Shooting Guard
Mateen Yeaton vs. Deron Williams
Another All-Star star for Yeaton and some terrific play down the stretch erased his early-season struggles. He showed last year that he can be a clutch playoff performer, but as always, the big question is: Can he stay healthy? His staying in good shape is even more important with Davis gone for the year.

Age is starting to show on Williams, but he still averaged 17.6 points, 5 assists and 1.6 steals in the regular season. His wizardy with passing the ball will be important if Utah hopes to win the series. Unfortunately for the Jazz, he's facing a size mismatch against Yeaton and his defense is declining as well.

Advantage: Nuggets

Small Forward
Ron McPherson vs. Andrei Kirilenko
GM Jestor has coveted McPherson ever since the 2013 draft and he went out and got him this offseason. The end result? 16.6 points and one of the best defensive SFs in the league. The biggest difference between McPherson and last year's starting SF, Patrick Pastner? Pastner struggled to break 40% shooting, whereas McPherson is shooting 47%. If there's a weakness in his game, it's that he's a horrible rebounder.

Kirilenko has the size and height needed to contain McPherson, though and even at 34 years old, he's still the league's single best defender and should win another Defensive Player of the Year award. His 12.1 points and 6.2 rebounds is just an extra bonus on top of it.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Carlos Boozer
The Nuggets team captain really stepped up in a big way after Davis went down and finished the regular season averaging 11.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks. He'll be called upon to again provide superlative defense, shotblocking and rebounding and the pressure will be on him to give Denver some semblance of an inside offensive game.

Boozer shows no signs of slowing down, averaging an amazing 18.7 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals in the regular season at 34. He can't block a shot to save his life, though and his defense is merely average. That said, he's a dangerous weapon and this matchup, along with the one at PG, will go a long way to determining who wins the series. Unstoppable force/immovable object.

Advantage: Draw

Center
Antawn Jamison vs. Andris Biedrins
Without a doubt, the most bizzare thing about this entire playoffs. The top seed in the entire NBA has a 39 year old SF as their starting C. That said, Jamison's provided a surprising burst of points for the Nuggets, but he's atrocious in every other aspect of the game and is hideous on defense.

Biedrins averaged 9.7 points and 11.1 rebounds in the regular season and has to be salivating at the prospect of going against Jamison. He's a phenomenal rebounder, good at drawing the foul and his offensive game should take off given the gross mismatch in size, height and talent at the position.

Advantage: Jazz

Bench
Denver boasts two starting quality guards in Kirk Hinrich and Brandon Brooks, both of whom averaged 7 points a game in the regular season. Hinrich and Brooks are also both excellent passers who play very good defense. Thabo Sefolosha is another defensive stalwart who's known for his clutch showings in the postseason. Forward Mike Nooner, a late-season pickup from the D-League, is yet another quality defender, who's been a pleasant surprise with his point scoring and rebounding.

Utah relies on 38 year old Vince Carter and 37 year old Mike Bibby to provide the bench scoring at 6.3 points and 5.7 points a game respectively. Against the Nuggets' cadre of warrior defenders, that's going to be a tall order. Bobby Simmons is the best all-around player on the bench and the lone Jazz reserve besides rookie Leroy Freeman (ironically Denver's selection in the lottery this last season), who appears to have any clue on defense.

Advantage: Nuggets

Final Thoughts
If Biedrins was an offensive giant on the level of, say, Dallas's Jonte Jones, this series would be very, very close, maybe even favoring the Jazz. But the starting five battles are so close, with the exception of Yeaton/Williams and Jamison/Biedrins, that Denver's punishing, iron-willed bench will simply wear Utah out and make this a pretty short series.
Prediction: Nuggets in 5"

Thanks for the vote of confidence.

Game One
That ferocious defense is there in full force as we hold the Jazz to 32.9% from the floor and 3 of 17 from 3-point range. With that kind of tenacity, 31 points from Mateen Yeaton and 10 points and 10 assists from Zelipe Gama are all we need. We were so stifling that not a single Utah player deserves recognition.
Final - Utah 73 Denver 96

Game Two
Fantastic game by Mateen Yeaton with 25 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks and 2 steals. He's joined by Ron McPherson's matching 25 points and we again hold the Jazz to under 40% shooting (37.7) and again, nobody on Utah's side plays well enough to get a mention.
Final - Utah 79 Denver 93

Game Three
I expected a tougher challenge out of the Jazz when the series shifts to Utah and I get it. Carlos Boozer finally breaks out of the Okafor Vise to score 21 points. Deron Williams likewise heated up for 26 points and Andris Biedrins doubled with 13 points and 11 rebounds. But it wasn't enough as Mateen Yeaton snuffed out the Utah inferno with 36 points. Ron McPherson added a Jazz-cooling 22 points and Zelipe Gama provided the icing with 12 points and 15 assists. Utah's now on the brink and I don't see any chance of their coming back.
Final - Denver 112 Utah 102

Game Four
A sweep would be wonderful, as the more games we play, the more chance of an injury. Utah brings a beautiful performance out of their starting set, all five players scoring at least 12 points. Carlos Boozer had 17 points and 10 rebounds, while A.J. Dunkley contributed 19 points and 10 assists. Alas for the Jazz, Mateen Yeaton scores 33 points, Zelipe Gama goes gangbusters with 25 points and 12 assists and Lindsey Williamson comes up with a pleasing 10 bench points. Net result is a crushing victory and a terrific sweep.
Final - Denver 114 Utah 95

The best part of it all is that we're at full strength going into the next round.

Three of the four series in the first round were sweeps in the West. Us over Utah, the Lakers against the Kings and the Grizzlies versus the Rockets. The Trailblazers are locked in a 2-2 draw with the Spurs for the final series in our conference.

Out East, everything is at 3-1.

Orlando, while the higher seed, pulls off an upset by beating the defending champion Pistons in 5 games. Indiana punted the Bucks in five as well and the 76ers did the same to the Celtics.

For the first time since I've been in the league, all the higher seeds advance in the opening round. Toronto ousts the pesky Bobcats in 6 and the Traiblazers beat back the Spurs in the same number of games.

The second round is going to be a lot rougher matchup for us, because now is when we start going against teams with legitimate centers.

[Izulde]

The first round was the easy part. Now is when it's get difficult, especially given our opponent. I'll let the article do the talking.

"Denver's sweep of the Jazz surprised no one. Memphis's straight-set knockout of the Rockets, however, stunned most observers, who were predicting a much tighter series. They'll undoubtedly get that closer matchup here as the Nuggets face off against the Grizzlies.

Point Guard
Zelipe Gama vs. Chris Gearhart[/b]
Gama was absolutely sensational in the opening round against Utah, averaging 13.3 points, 12.3 assists, 5 rebounds and 1.5 steals. If he can keep that kind of production up, this series could be over a lot more quickly than most anticipate.

Gearhart is the player Nuggets GM Jestor called the best of his class and while he hasn't had the sort of breakout regular season one would expect from such a high accolade, Chris was dominant against the Rockets, with 22.8 points, 7 assists and 2 steals a game. Far more suited to the SG spot, he's an amazing shooter and scorer with good defense and ballswiping skills. At 6'7, 222 lbs, he's going to bully the much smaller 6'4, 189 lb Gama and limit the Spainard's effectiveness.

Advantage: Grizzlies

Shooting Guard
[u]Mateen Yeaton vs. Durko Jagr
Yeaton put on a performance for the ages against the Jazz, averaging a breathtaking 31.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2 steals and 2.5 blocks. He's stayed fully healthy thus far in the postseason and he's going to need to maintain that for the Nuggets to win. Any doubts as to his ability to make a difference in the playoffs is long since vanquished, however.

18 points, 7 assists and 1.8 steals were good numbers against Houston for Jagr, but while he's a pretty good defender, he gives up 3 inches to Yeaton and a shorter guard with anything other than topflight defense is a recipe for disaster in trying to control the Nuggets star guard. That said, Jagr will get points of his own, as he's got respectable offensive game.

Advantage: Nuggets

Small Forward
Ron McPherson vs. Rudy Gay
McPherson averaged 18 points in the first round, but he shot a worrying, Patrick Pastner-esque 40.6% from the field. That said, he continues to bring absolutely dynamite defense to bear and will stalk Gay all series long.

Gay's an excellent defender in his own right and brings just as much, if not a little more offensive game, with 18.5 points, 7.8 rebounds , 5 assists, 1.3 steals and a block per game to his credit versus the Rockets. As his board numbers suggest, he's a much more polished, all-around player than McPherson, but the difference gap is fairly slim.

Advantage: Grizzlies

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Pau Gasol
10.3 points, 8 rebounds, 2 steals and 1.8 blocks is excellent playoff production from Okafor, especially when you consider the brilliant job he did in shutting down Carlos Boozer on top of it. More of the same would be just what Denver's looking for.

Gasol is definitely in the twilight of his career, but he still averaged 15 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 2.5 blocks in the opening round. His point production is his greatest asset these days, as his blocking and rebounding are now merely pretty good and he's a very average defender.

Advantage: Grizzlies

Center
Antawn Jamison vs. Marvin Williams
Huge, -huge- break for Jamison as Narcyz Malinomowski, the Great Polish Sieve, was lost for the year with a broken hand with 3 games left in the regular season. The 39 year old Jamison's atrocious defense would've been catastrophic for Denver against Malinomowski's superior shooting. Frankly, Jamison's just a body at this point, 6 points and 6.8 rebounds in opening series notwithstanding.

Williams somehow averaged 12 points and 10.8 rebounds against Yao Ming in Round 1. Like Jamison, he's a SF masquerading as a C after his team's starting C went down. Unlike Jamison, he's a decent all-around player, but not spectacular in any area.

Advantage: Grizzlies

Bench
Brandon Brooks and Lindsey Williamson both tied for the scoring lead with 5 points per game average against Utah, but don't count any of this Nuggets bench out. In addition to the tenacious defenders mentioned in the Utah preview, any number of these players is capable of breaking out and will likely play a bigger role in this series.

Memphis showed a very short bench against Houston, just 3 players getting anywhere close to 10 minutes a game, only 5 appearing in a game period. A large part of that is thanks to Darius Miles, who plays all five positions and who averaged 9.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and a block in the first round. At 34, he's now an average all-around player whose greatest asset is his obvious versatility. Larry Hughes can't score much anymore, but he's still a good stopper. That's pretty much it for the noteworthy bench players, many of whom are hoping to see more action this series.

Advantage: Denver

Final Thoughts
This is shaping up to be a very classic series and an interesting one, with both teams missing their starting centers for the rest of the playoffs. The overall starting five tilts slightly in favor of the Grizzlies, but on the flip side, the Nuggets bench is vastly superior and should secure them the Western Conference Finals berth in the end.
Final Prediction: Nuggets in 7

The full limit, hmm? Yeah, I can definitely see that happening. The Grizzlies have an excellent squad here and beating them is going to be tough.

Game One
Great performance out of Mateen Yeaton with 28 points. Our bench was great too, with 10 points from Lindsey Williamson and 11 points each from Thabo Sefolosha and Brandon Brooks. But the rest of our starters sucked the big one on both ends, resulting in Chris Gearhart shredding us for 29 points, Rudy Gay ripping us for 21 points and Pau Gasol and Marvin Williams doubling for 12 points and 10 rebounds and 10 points and 13 rebounds respectively. They kick our butts and it's not even as close as the final score indicates. Bad way to start the series.
Final - Memphis 103 Denver 93

Game Two
We need to get a win here or I fear our morale is going to be crushed. Zelipe Gama gets 10 points and 12 assists before fouling out and Emeka Okafor grabs 14 points and 12 rebounds, but the real story was our reserves coming through big again. Kirk Hinrich scored 14, Mike Nooner 10 and Brandon Brooks doubled with 12 points and 11 assists. They saved our butts against a Grizzlies team that saw 23 points from Chris Gearhart, 20 points from Rudy Gay, 16 points and 13 rebounds from Pau Gasol and 17 bench points from Darius Miles. A critical evening up of the series.
Final - Memphis 100 Denver 114

Game Three
I'd honestly be perfectly happy with a split in Memphis. That's how much this Grizzlies team impresses me. Mateen Yeaton continues to play his heart out with 25 points and our benchmen pull through again. This time it's Tyson Chandler (10 points, 11 rebounds), and Mike Nooner and Kirk Hinrich with 12 points a piece. The Grizz counter with 28 points and 10 assists from Chris Gearhart and 23 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks from Pau Gasol, who's really using his massive size to abuse us this series. In the end, we fall -just- short, collapsing down the stretch as Memphis roars back in the fourth quarter. I fear this was the major turning point of the series.
Final - Denver 101 Memphis 107

Game Four
Lose here and I suspect we're done. Our players know it too and they respond with the best game they've played all series. Mateen Yeaton erupts for 36 points, Ron McPherson finally breaks through and scores 23, Zelipe Gama distributes 11 points and 16 assists and Thabo Sefolosha shows off his playoff magic with 13 bench points. Chris Gearhart puts up 22 points for the Grizzlies and Pau Gasol adds 14 points and 10 rebounds, but there's no overstating just how huge or how complete a victory this was for us. Series now tied again at 2-2!!!
Final - Denver 111 Memphis 85

It's exciting playoff basketball everywhere as every single series is knotted up at two a piece. I have a feeling they'll be talking about this playoffs for a long, long time to come.

Game Five
Biggest game of the series by far. This is where the ultimate momentum shift will take place. Can we take advantage of being at home? I can barely stand to watch the game, I'm so nervous.... Mateen Yeaton shows up with 20 points and 10 rebounds, Ron McPherson rises to the occasion with 21 points and Brandon Brooks torches his way to 17 points off the bench. But Zelipe Gama is 0 for 6 on the night, Rudy Gay scores 21, Marvin Williams has a monster game of 19 points and 17 rebounds and Darius Miles adds 14 bench points. Gama's goose egg comes back to haunt as we lose by 3 motherf'ing points. Advantage, Grizzlies.
Final - Memphis 101 Denver 98

Game Six
We need a miracle in Memphis. That's all there is to it. Larry Brown preaches defense, defense, defense in the locker room before the game, pointing out that when we play D, we do well and our offense takes care of itself. The boys go out and do exactly that, holding the Grizzlies to 36.2% shooting and for the first time in this series, there's not a single Memphis statistical star. In fact, only two Grizzlies even break double digit points. Our end had one player, one shining star and it was Mateen Yeaton yet again, with 24 points and 10 rebounds. He's played magnificiently all postseason long, determined to get us to that beautiful trophy. Thanks to him, we live to fight another day and a Game 7.
Final - Denver 89 Memphis 70

We're the only series to go full throttle. The Lakers end the Trailblazers dream season in six games, the Raptors prevail over the surprisingly persistent Magic in same and it's six again for Indiana to put away Philadelphia and provide the first case of a lower seed winning this playoffs.

Game Seven
A sold out crowd. Wild and screaming fans. Both teams, sweat-soaked yet determined. It all comes down to this in this most grueling and hard-fought series. Can we strike gold in the mile-high comfort of our home? The Grizzlies come out roaring, clawing and fighting furiously. Rudy Gay scores 21 points, Chris Gearhart betters him with 26 points, Darius Miles scores 10 bench points and Pau Gasol and Marvin Williams tear through us for double-doubles of 16 points and 10 rebounds and 18 points and 11 rebounds. In counterpoint to this magnificient team showing by the Grizzlies, we have just two Nuggets players in double-digit scoring. The first is Ron McPherson with 28 points... and then comes Mateen Yeaton, who channels Allen Iverson of old in scoring 43 points, including a perfect 11/11 from the charity stripe. Yeaton's virtuoso performance gives us the miracle win as we stave off Memphis's fourth quarter charge!!!!!!!!! Yea-ton! Yea-ton! YEA-TON!!!!!!!!
Final - Memphis 99 Denver 109

Players and coaches run the court to en masse` mob Mateen Yeaton and carry him onto their shoulders while the crowd screams and cheers in a wild frenzy.

Sure, it's only another trip to the Western Conference Finals, where we've been before repeatedly and suffered so many disappointments. But we've overcome a major obstacle in beating one of the league's best teams with a 39 year old SF at C. I don't think anybody really expected us to get this far with Antawn Jamison actually starting.

But here we are, going on to face the Lakers.

Guess the Purple and Gold aren't done shining their Showtime glory, either.

[MacroGuru]

BTW...still reading....still an awesome read

[Izulde]

BTW...still reading....still an awesome read

Thanks. :) I'm still loving writing it.

[Izulde]

It's amazing to believe that we've made it this far without Tim Davis, but here we are, once more in the Western Conference Finals and ready to try for our second conference title in my tenure here. As the below article illustrates, it won't be easy.

"Out of all the magical postseasons in recent Nuggets history, this may well be the one that tops them all, for its unusual cast of characters, most notable of which are the 24 year old 6th year veteran PG who's resurrected his career in Denver and in the 39 year old SF setting out as the starting C night after night.

No less a compelling story in many ways than that of the Lakers, who stumbled to what in Showtime Nation passes for a mediocre season, only to find new life in the playoffs and surge their way to the Conference Finals. This promises to be a highly entertaining matchup.

Point Guard
Zelipe Gama vs. Calvis Graham
Gama's numbers dropped significantly against the Grizzles, but he's still averaging 9.3 points, 10.9 assists and 1.3 blocks a game. What he lacks in consistent scoring, he more than makes up for by being a brilliant playmaker and floor general for Denver's offense.

Graham's erupted in this playoffs for 17.8 points, 8.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals a game. He's blossoming into a superb all around PG and has the shooting, passing and defensive talents to make this a very long series for the Cinderella Spainard.

Advantage: Lakers

Shooting Guard
Mateen Yeaton vs. Kyle Hoiberg
His 28.5 points a game in the playoffs alone would testify just how valuable Yeaton has been to Denver this posteason. Throw in his 6.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 2.1 blocks and you have a player in his prime, a superstar who has finally become the second coming of Allen Iverson/b], who in his final season in Denver led the Nuggets to the Finals with the kind of legendary performances that Yeaton's already started putting together in this playoffs.

Hoiberg is a couple inches shorter than Yeaton, but he has the size to go up against him. Kyle's averaging 20.1 points and 1.4 steals a game in the playoffs, which is excellent, but he doesn't have the defensive skills to contain Yeaton and even with all his scoring output, he's going to have a tough time going against the inspired Nuggets franchise player.

[b]Advantage: Denver

Small Forward
Ron McPherson vs. Lamar Odom
McPherson's the only other Nugget to average double-digit points at this stage in the playoffs, with 18.2. He's become a valuable second option to Yeaton and boosted his shooting percentage up to 41.9% after the second round. If Denver wants to advance, they'll need to see continued improvement out of him.

Odom's back for his second tour of duty with the Lakers, but he's not the Lamar of the first stint. He's averaging a pedestrian 6.9 points and 5.4 rebounds in the playoffs, looking all of his 34 years at numerous points. That said, he'll batter McPherson on the glass and he has 3 inches on him, a size advantage that equalizes an either otherwise lopsided matchup.

Advantage: Draw

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Derrick Robinson
9.4 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.6 steals, 2.4 blocks continue to be just the kind of postseason numbers the Nuggets want out of Okafor. If he can keep that level of production going, Denver's going to make this a very game series. Defense. Rebounding. Blocking. And as much scoring as he can manage.

Robinson's been averaging 13.6 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks in the postseason, but he's subpar on defense and a weak ballhandler. He's going to have major problems against the much more muscular, much more skilled Okafor, who's playing for what may be one of his last chances at a ring.

Advantage: Nuggets

Center
Antawn Jamison vs. Andrew Bynum
It's dangerous to even put Jamison on the floor this series, let alone as the starting C, given his notoriously bad defense. 5 points and 5.5 rebounds is not near enough to make up for his defensive deficiencies.

Especially not when Bynum's averaging 22.9 points, 13.9 rebounds and 3 blocks in the playoffs. This is the biggest mismatch of the entire postseason and we wouldn't be surprised to see the Nuggets use a lot of rotations at C, bringing in guys like Lindsey Williamson and Tyson Chandler, who have the size and defense to fight arguably the best center in the NBA. Maybe even Okafor will get put on him. There's no real weaknesses in Bynum's game. He's that good, an MVP-worthy candidate every season and indeed, already has 3 MVP awards to his credit (2012, 2013, 2014).

Advantage: Lakers

Bench
All of the Nuggets reserves saw their averages shoot up drastically in the second round. Brandon Brooks is now averaging 7.5 points, Thabo Sefolosha 6 and four other Denver bench players averaging 5 points or more. Expect to see the same kind of intense, frequent use of the bench in this series. It saved the Nuggets against the Grizzlies, with the reserves' fantastic defensive play and timely shooting. If Denver wants to win, they'll have to go to their impressive depth again.

The Lakers counter with Ron Artest, who's averaging 7.2 points a game and plays sensational defense and Jordan Farmar, whose postseason average is 5.6 points and he's an average all-around backup guard. That's about it for quality Lakers reserves, though.

Advantage: Nuggets

Final Thoughts
It's a certainty that Andrew Bynum is going to have a monster series. The only question is: Can Denver provide enough offense in return and shut down the other Lakers starters? Our crystal ball says no, even with the Nuggets' superlative bench. In fact, look for this to be a pretty short series.
Prediction: Lakers in 5

Well, to be honest, can't say that I blame them. The Lakers are an even better team than the Grizzlies and we just barely beat Memphis. But who knows? We'll just have to play the games and see.

Game One
Before the game, Larry Brown pinned the article on the locker room bulletin board. The boys saw it and they got pissed, really pissed. So what do they do? Go out angry and feed off the home crowd, limiting the Lakers to 33.3% from the floor. But this is still the Purple and Gold and they come through with great performances from Andrew Bynum (17 points, 15 rebounds), Kyle Hoiberg (22 points), Calvis Graham (11 points, 10 assists) and 12 bench points from Ron Artest. We fire right back at them with 23 points from Mateen Yeaton, 21 points from Ron McPherson, 15 bench points from Kirk Hinrich and 13 bench points from Thabo Sefolosha. More tellingly, we shoot 50% from the floor and win in a surprising blowout, never looking back after taking a 31-17 1st quarter lead.
Final - L.A. Lakers 80 Denver 107

Game Two
Our energy level is through the roof after the stunningly easy victory in Game 1, but the Lakers are amped too after their embarassment. Kyle Hoiberg silences the crowd with 33 points, Andrew Bynum improves on the opening performance with 21 points and 15 rebounds and Derrick Robinson guts out 13 points and 10 rebounds. We fight back with 11 points and 16 rebounds from Emeka Okafor, 23 points from Mateen Yeaton and a newly resurgent Zelipe Gama's 21 points and 13 assists. Despite a furious Lakers closing in the final minutes, we play defense just well enough and get just enough contributions from our other players to steal a critical 2-point victory and capture the 2-0 series lead!
Final - L.A. Lakers 97 Denver 99

But an unhappy sight greets me on the way to the locker room to celebrate. It's the morose face of our team doctor, who grimly informs me that Mateen Yeaton has a strained abdominal muscle and that he'll be affected for the rest of the playoffs.

Shades of last year's collapse against San Antonio in the Western Conference finals haunt me and I feel just as ill to my stomach as Mateen doubtlessly is.

Game Three
In the hostile Lakers arena and with our team MVP injured. Is this where it all starts to unravel? What follows is one of the ugliest games I've ever seen. We shoot 36.8%, the Lakers 30%. Andrew Bynum gets his stats as expected with 19 points and 17 rebounds, but the combined might of Emeka Okafor's 11 points and 12 rebounds, Zelipe Gama's 14 points and 10 assists and 12 bench points from Brandon Brooks, together with a team vow to come together in the wake of Mateen Yeaton's injury and the resulting titanic defense means that we push the Lakers on the ropes and wind up, hoping to land the knockout blow. 3-0. An extremely important 3-0.
Final - Denver 86 L.A. Lakers 71

Game Four
I'm still remembering last year's catastrophe against the Spurs and of course, the great teams like the Lakers are at their deadliest when they're cornered like this. Especially when we're still on their turf. And come out fighting they do. Andrew Bynum puts up 18 points and 10 rebounds and Kyle Hoiberg scores 27 points. But conversely, Calvis Graham has a horrific 0 for 7 night and lays a goose egg and Zelipe Gama leads us in scoring with 24 points. Our bench comes through yet again as well, Brandon Brooks scoring 16 and Thabo Sefolosha re-establishing his playoff cred with 11 points of his own. It all adds up to a sweet, exhilirating sweep. We're going back to the NBA Finals!!!!
Final - Denver 101 L.A. Lakers 89

But the victory's a Phyrric one, for much to my horror, our melancholy doctor comes to me again, pulling me out into the hall.

"We've got another one. Lindsey Williamson's got a strained knee. He'll be gimped for the Finals for sure."

But even this news can't dim my joyous mood.

Because we're going back to the NBA Finals for the second time with me as the GM!!!!!

As for our opponent... the East Conference Finals stand at 3-1 after our sweep, with Raptors up on the Pacers.

It's all over two nights later, as Toronto squashes the plucky Pacers, ruining what would've been a compelling NBA Finals with more storylines than Heroes.

But that's okay. As great as it would've been to go up against Ben Gordon, Joakim Noah and Paulinho Buboltz, the important thing is, we're in the Finals.

Even if the task we face is so monumental that it makes playing the Grizzlies and Lakers look like caveman's play.

[Izulde]

I could ramble on and on about how great it is to be the Western Conference Champions again, but the preview article does a much better job of it.

"There is perhaps no greater shock than the Denver Nuggets representing the West with 39 year old Antawn Jamison starting at C. It's a thing that boggles the imagination, stretching the brain to the limits of credulity, even if the Nuggets rely on multiple rotations for the five. It's a testament to just what a brilliant job GM Jestor has done in remaking this Denver franchise.

While a Pacers-Nuggets Final would have made for much more dramatic stories, given the Mateen Yeaton and Paulinho Buboltz blockbuster before the 2013 regular season, this Raptors/Nuggets matchup is compelling in its own right.

For it's a re-match of the 2010 NBA Finals and features two starkly contrasting teams. Toronto is much the same as it was in 2010, a brutalizing frontcourt with many of the same characters as six years ago. Denver, in counterpoint, retains the spirit of that 2010 team, which relied so heavily on superior guard play, but not the body, for the Nuggets have undergone complete and wholesale changes in just six years, so that none of the players from that team are in Denver this season.

Toronto Raptors 2010 NBA Finals Starters
PG T.J. Ford
SG Larry Hughes
SF Andrea Bargnani
PF Chris Bosh
C Greg Oden

Toronto Raptors 2015 NBA Finals Starters
PG T.J. Ford
SG Kobe Bryant
SF David Anyan
PF Chris Bosh
C Greg Oden

Denver Nuggets 2010 NBA Finals Starters
PG Ben Gordon
SG Allen Iverson
SF Joakim Noah
PF Kenyon Martin
C Shaquille O'Neal

Denver Nuggets 2015 NBA Finals Starters
PG Zelipe Gama
SG Mateen Yeaton
SF Ron McPherson
PF Emeka Okafor
C Antawn Jamison

It's worth taking a look at how each team acquired the new starters they received, for the Raptors and Nuggets are completely opposite each other in how they upgrade their starting five.

Toronto Raptors
SF David Anyan - Signed 2014 FA Period (Utah) - 5 years, $32.2 million
SG Kobe Bryant - Signed 2015 FA Period (Lakers) - 5 years, $32.2 million

Denver Nuggets
PG Zelipe Gama - Trade with Detroit Pistons - November 2015
SG Mateen Yeaton - Trade with Indiana Pacers - June 2013
SF Ron McPherson - Trade with New Orleans Hornets - June 2015
PF Emeka Okafor - Trade with Charlotte Bobcats - December 2012
C Antawn Jamison - Trade with Detroit Pistons - November 2015

As you can see, the Raptors rely on keeping a strong core together, with the occasional blockbuster free agent signing, whereas the Nuggets wholesale their team with aggressive trade maneuvers. It's worth noting, however, that Yeaton, McPherson and Okafor are all said by Jestor to remain in a Nuggets uniform until their contract runs out.

That doesn't mean Denver plans on going wholesale to the Raptor plan, however. The Nuggets have had bad luck with finding quality starters in free agency (Witness the Andris Biedrins and Caron Butler fiascoes) and instead use free agency as a means to beef up their bench with role players.

And now for the position comparisons.

Point Guard
Zelipe Gama vs. T.J. Ford
Gama's been a critical part of the Nuggets magical run, averaging 10.9 points, 10.3 assists and 1.3 blocks. While he's been somewhat frustratingly erratic in his shooting, he distributes the ball extremely well and has looked far older than his 24 years at the point.

The 32 year old Ford has been Gama's twin, averaging 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 10.2 assists in the playoffs. They're virtually identical in terms of their strengths and weaknesses, save that Gama is the bigger, more physical player and that Ford is the savvy veteran who's started for all three of the Raptors Finals teams to date, a three-year streak of 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Advantage: Draw

Shooting Guard
Mateen Yeaton vs. Kobe Bryant
There's no bigger hero in Denver right now than Yeaton, who's been absolutely dazzling in the playoffs, averaging 25.8 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.8 blocks. He's dealing with a strained abdominal muscle that's going to limit his effectiveness for the first two games, which is going to be a problem for the Nuggets, because he's the heart and soul of this team.

Kobe's playoff numbers may have dropped drastically to 13.8 points a game, but make no mistake about it. He has the size and the defensive prowess to shut Yeaton down, as well as abuse Yeaton's middling defense. Yeaton has had serious problems in the past going against bigger SGs who can play D, so Kobe could well be the MVP of this series.

Advantage: Draw

Small Forward
Ron McPherson vs. David Anyan
McPherson gets a lot of credit for his 17.6 points a game in the playoffs, but what a lot of people miss is the excellent job he does in shutting down the opposition. He completely neutralized Lamar Odom in the conference finals, limited Rudy Gay's effectiveness in the second round and rubbed out Andrei Kirilenko in the opening round.

Denver will need every bit of McPherson's defensive wizardry to shut down Anyan, who's averaging a team-leading 19.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.6 blocks. He's a complete, terrific package of a player, whose only weakness is in ballhandling. He's got the defensive talents to shut down McPherson in turn and this position battle is going to be an interesting one to watch.

Advantage: Raptors

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor vs. Chris Bosh
Okafor keeps getting hotter and hotter as the playoffs wear on and is up to 10.3 points, 10 rebounds, 1.7 steals and 2.1 blocks a game. His excellent defense, shotblocking and rebounding, to say nothing of the points he's accumulating, have been integral parts to Denver's success. Like McPherson, he's been hounding good power forwards all postseason long.

Bosh is finally satisfied again after being given his starting job back and has responded with an excellent 18 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 1.6 blocks in the playoffs. Naturally, he's superior on offense to Okafor, but the Nuggets team captain is actually a better rebounder, defender and shotblocker than the mercurial Raptors PF. That said, the overall talent level clearly tilts Toronto's way.

Advantage: Raptors

Center
Antawn Jamison vs. Greg Oden
The Nuggets' rapidfire rotations at center helped control Andrew Bynum in the Conference Finals and we expect to see the same thing here in this series. Jamison's just there to score 4.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and only play about 20 minutes a game.

Oden is still a do-everything center who's otherworldly in his rebounding and defense. Currently he's averaging 15.5 points, 16.5 rebounds and 3 blocks in the playoffs and he's going to feast heartily on the Nuggets, a golden meal just waiting for him.

Advantage: Raptors

Bench
8.3 points and 4.6 assists in the playoffs have Brandon Brooks fast developing a clutch reputation in his own right. Thabo Sefolosha is adding to his playoff legacy with 6.1 points a game and the Nuggets have a lot of defensive horses to throw at the Raptors. Unfortunately for Denver, one of those players and one of the only C capable players on the team, Lindsey Williamson, is hobbled by a knee injury. Ironically enough, Williamson is also the lone Jestor-draftee on the squad.

Andrea Bargnani has seen his role diminish drastically, but unlike Bosh, he isn't making waves about it. His 5.8 points a game n the playoffs is somewhat puzzling, given his acclaim on offense. The big problem for the Raptors is that the only good defender on their bench is Tayshaun Prince and at 35 years old, he can't compete as well with the young stallions on Denver's bench. Fortunately for Toronto, Prince can play every position but point guard, giving them a lot of matchup opportunities.

Advantage: Nuggets

Final Thoughts
Sadly for Denver fans, the Raptors are just too good. Losing Tim Davis, having Mateen Yeaton knicked up for the first two games and Lindsey Williamson hampered for the whole series is just too much to overcome against Toronto's fearsome frontcourt, especially when the Raptors' backcourt is equal to the challenge of the Nuggets' advantage. Not even Denver's bench, so great a group of performers in previous rounds, can save them now. It's going to be a fairly short series, but at least the Nuggets should avoid the embarassment of a 2010 reprise of a sweep. Just barely, but still avoiding.
Prediction: Raptors in 5

Nobody's giving us a chance. I can't say that I blame them, either. This Raptors team is one whose core has won 2 rings already in 2010 and 2012 and they're angry that they don't have more. We're going to bear the brunt of their fury, I suspect, even though our hunger for a title is just as keen as theirs.

Game One
If there's one thing to be thankful for, it's that we have homecourt advantage thanks to having the best record. It's a fanatic, frenzied crowd that greets us in Denver for the first game and I'm just hoping to win at least one game out of the first two. Toronto comes out hard and fast and is up 32-26 at the end of the first quarter, but that's all the quarter leading the Raptors do as Zelipe Gama feeds off the frantic energy of the crowd and is an incredible 15 of 19 for 34 points, 14 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 3 steals. Ron McPherson scores 26 points and together, the youngsters triumph over 21 points from David Anyan, 15 points and 10 rebounds from Greg Oden, 28 points from Kobe Bryant and all five Toronto starters scoring at least 10 points. It's an exhilirating, morale-boosting 20 point opening game victory that has me believing, just for a little bit, that we can pull off the dream season.
Final - Toronto 96 Denver 116

Game Two
I knew the Raptors weren't going to take Game 1 lying down and they unleash all their raging Rex fury on us in the second game. David Anyan ramapages for 31 points and 10 rebounds, Chris Bosh goes bezerk for 22 points and 13 rebounds, Greg Oden grabs everything in sight for 13 points and 29 rebounds and T.J. Ford contributes 12 points and 13 assists. We try to respond, but 12 points and 11 assists from Zelipe Gama and 10 and 11 respective bench points from Thabo Sefolosha and Brandon Brooks can't stop the horde of ire-stoked stampeding basketball dinosaurs. We're blown out and the series ties at 1.
Final - Toronto 96 Denver 78

Game Three
We shift to Toronto for the next three games and I've got a sinking feeling in my heart. Trying to beat the Raptors on their own turf is going to be a monstrous task and we need to win at least one game here in order to stay alive and return to Denver. If anyone can save us now, it's Mateen Yeaton, now back to full health. And it's exactly Mateen Yeaton who puts on the greatest performance tonight in a Nuggets uniform, with 24 points and 10 rebounds, Zelipe Gama the other statistical star with 16 points and 10 assists. David Anyan is up for the Raptors with 14 points and 13 rebounds and Greg Oden tears through us for 23 points and 18 rebounds. Andrea Bargnani adds the icing on the cake for Toronto with 15 points and 16 rebounds off the bench. But somehow, we get just enough points from everyone to fend off the fourth quarter Raptors rally, riding balanced offense and tough defense to come away with the 94-86 shocker of a win! 2-1 Nuggets series lead!!!
Final - Denver 94 Toronto 86

Game Four
The Raptors are pissed and so is their home crowd. We know what happened in Game 2 after Toronto got mad and we're expecting the same here, or at least I am. Larry Brown cautions our guys to keep their cool and just play the same hard-nosed defense and team-play that saw us through Mateen Yeaton and Tim Davis's injuries and got us to this point. It was a great pre-game speech, but speeches can't do anything about 0 for 10 from 3-point range and a dismal, dismal game with no Nuggets stars for the first time ever. The Raptors lone players of note were Tayshaun Prince and Andrea Bargnani with 10 and 13 bench points a piece. Ugly game, ugly loss, ugly evening up of the series at two a piece.
Final - Denver 64 Toronto 85

Game Five
Here's the pivotal pendulum game. Squeeze out a win and we've got the momentum on the Big Mo' level. Lose and we'll be praying for our home crowd to be our saviors. We get 21 points from Ron McPherson, 20 points from Mateen Yeaton and 10 points and 14 rebounds off the bench from Tyson Chandler, but we doom ourselves with a 1 for 12 shooting from 3 point range. David Anyan scores 22 for Toronto and Greg Oden grabbed 10 points and 14 rebounds, just as the Raptors grab us by the throat and have us dangling over the precipice of elimination. Another nasty game, in truth and I fear for our championship dreams.
Final - Denver 79 Toronto 91

Game Six
It's a struggle for me to watch this game and even the crowd has an edge of desparation to their noisemaking. The team's battered physically and psychologically after the beatings they took the last two games in Toronto. It's looking like more of the same when all five Raptors starters score 12 points or more and Chris Bosh has 16 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks, teaming with Greg Oden for 14 points and 14 rebounds. But then Emeka Okafor fights back in the paint for 10 points, 13 rebounds and 6 blocks, Zelipe Gama finds his way to 18 points and 11 assists and Mateen Yeaton commandingly leads all scorers with 23 points and we eke out the narrow, 3-point victory to force a Game 7 in Denver!!!!!
Final - Toronto 91 Denver 94

Game Seven
This is the most tense, most heartpounding, most nerve-wracking experience I've ever been through. A rattlesnake inches away from my foot in Wyoming, a black widow crawling on my bed in Arkansas, the waiting of a girl's answer to a date asking, a love professing... these moments of mixed, high terror and adrelanine are nothing to the twinned anticipation and dread coursing through me at the start of this final game. A final game that means everything.

Gold or nothing.
Title or nothing.
Glory or nothing.
Joy or nothing.
Immortality or nothing.
Victory. Or. Nothing.

It's a sold out crowd and the decibel levels are so high, I wonder the roof isn't blown off the building. All the members of the 2008 Denver Nuggets championship team are there and Allen Iverson pulls Mateen Yeaton aside to give him some words of advice. What he said, I didn't find out until after the game.

Greg Oden was electrifying with 24 points and 19 rebounds and Chris Bosh was his equal with 26 points and 13 rebounds, but we by and large shut down the rest of the Raptors. Zelipe Gama played magnificiently with 19 points and 15 assists and Ron McPherson scored 22 points.

Mateen Yeaton laid out everything on the line, pouring in 27 points, but with 2 minutes left in the game, he fell to the floor in a brutal collision with Kobe Bryant and had to be taken out.

In the end, it just wasn't enough. A horrific second quarter, in which the Raptors outgunned us 33-10 for a 53-30 halftime lead, just couldn't be surmounted, though we rallied hard.

All our dreams turned to dust there on our home floor.

Final - Toronto 99 Denver 88

Mateen Yeaton's tearing up at the end of the game, grimacing from the pain in his leg and the sting of defeat. All across the Nuggets bench and in the stands, there's a panaroma of tears, crushed looks and broken hearts. Even Emeka Okafor, our optimistic and team-gluing team captain, can't find words of encouragement.

Numb with shock and grief myself, I exit the box, go down to the court and join my team in a silent, sorrowful embrace while the Raptors cheer, whoop and dance all around us, popping their jerseys and mugging for the camera.

They deserve their celebrations to be sure, but many of them now wear 3 rings and while many of our own players wear rings of their own, Thabo Sefolosha's words as he looks at his Lakers championship rings says it all.

"I'd give up both of these for just one ring with you guys. I'm so damned proud of this team. Nobody gave us a chance after Tim got hurt and we came -this- close to getting it. I love you guys. I love this team. Jestor, can you re-sign me in free agency? I want to come back."

We all laugh at the humor of it in our collective grief, but the sweetness of our Swiss's sentiment still can't entirely erase the pain of this loss.

I lift my head up and look across the circle at Tim Davis in street clothes. His face is grim, his jaw determined. His eyes glitter as he looks around the circle and at the now empty, desolate court.

"We'll be back. I guarantee it. We'll be back and we'll win the trophy."

[Izulde]

We're all still in a funk over the next few days and it's only rather distractedly that I watch the lottery. There's some tough choices to be made this offseason, with a few pretty significant players hitting free agency and a spiralling cap number due to some hefty contracts.

2016 NBA Lottery Results
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (+2)
2. Chicago Bulls (+3)
3. Golden State Warriors (-2)
4. New Jersey Nets (-1)
5. New Orleans Hornets (-1)
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Phoenix Suns
8. Washington Wizards
9. Seattle Supersonics
10. Los Angeles Clippers
11. Dallas Mavericks
12. Miami Heat
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
14. New York Knicks

It appears that trading away Cleveland's 1st round pick next year may have been smarter than I realized. With the top selection this year, they're bound to keep adding to their collection of rising young talent and I predict that they could very well be a playoff team this season, even in the tough Central Division.

NBA Awards

MVP
Jonte Jones - Dallas Mavericks - 25.7 ppg 11.7 rpg 2.2 apg 1.4 bpg 1.3 spg
Defensive Player of the Year
Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz - 12.1 ppg 6.2 rpg 3.0 apg 3.6 bpg 1.5 spg
Rookie of the Year
Patrick Riley - Washington Wizards - 9.3 ppg 8.7 rpg 1.7 apg 2.5 bpg 0.8 spg
6th Man of the Year
Tony Parker - Indiana Pacers - 16.7 ppg 6.3 apg 2.7 rpg 0.0 bpg 0.9 spg
Head Coach of the Year
Larry Brown - Denver Nuggets

Well-deserved award for Larry, who turned around our team after that rough start, helped us overcome the loss of Tim Davis and guided us to damned near winning the championship. Nice to see Jones win the MVP. Maybe now people will listen when I tell them he's the best center in the entire league and one of the top 5 players period.

All-NBA 1st Team
PG Kenny Graham - Detroit Pistons
SG Lebron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
SF Carmelo Anthony - New York Knicks
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Jonte Jones - Dallas Mavericks

All-NBA 2nd Team
PG Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
SG Mateen Yeaton - Denver Nuggets
SF Kevin Durant - Portland Trailblazers
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-NBA 3rd Team
PG Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
SG Ben Gordon - Indiana Pacers
SF Georghios Kairis - Houston Rockets
PF Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic
C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets

All-Defense 1st Team
PG Zelipe Gama - Denver Nuggets
SG Mateen Yeaton - Denver Nuggets
SF Andrei Kirilenko - Utah Jazz
PF Tyrus Thomas - Philadelphia 76ers
C Greg Oden - Toronto Raptors

All-Defense 2nd Team
PG Branko Starcevic - Seattle Supersonics
SG Tracy McGrady - Sacramento Kings
SF Gerald Wallace - Charlotte Bobcats
PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
C Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers

All-Rookie 1st Team
PG Pete Bannister - Philadephia 76ers
SG Justin Barnes - Sacramento Kings
SF Andre Davis - Los Angeles Clippers
PF Aaron Anthony - Seattle Supersonics
C Patrick Riley - Washington Wizards

All-Rookie 2nd Team
PG Alan Edwards - Houston Rockets
SG Adam Lopez - Minnesota Timberwolves
SF Ronell Jones - Phoenix Suns
PF Henry Fisher - Portland Trailblazers
C Garick Reece - Atlanta Hawks

I was stunned, but nonetheless extremely pleased to see Gama and Yeaton both capture 1st Team Defense awards. If Yeaton could just stay healthy, he could be leading us to a dynasty of titles and his #6 could hang in the rafters some day.

Utah Sixers

PG Brandon Brooks - Denver Nuggets
Started just 9 games but appeared in all 82 after the big Pistons trade. Averaged 7 points, 3.9 assists, 1.6 rebounds, 0.2 blocks and 0.4 steals. I just noticed that he's only shot 40% or better once in his career. No wonder we've been doing so much better with Zelipe Gama starting at the point. Brooks is a very good candidate to be traded, to be quite honest.

PF Kelvin Moody - Minnesota Timberwolves
He appears doomed to repeat Kevin Garnett's career in Minnesota, which is a shame. 1st Team All-NBa and 1st Team All-Defense selections this year to go with his 21 points, 12 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.8 blocks and steal per game. There's no way in hell they'll ever let him out of Minnesota either, at least, not until he gets too old to matter.

SF Julius Austin - Miami Heat
Started 21 games and appeared in 77 this year, averaging 5.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.7 steals a game. An out and out bust offensively, but still a great defender. My guess is after his contract with Miami runs out, he'll become a journeyman for a few more seasons before retiring.

C Rudy Braun - New York Knicks
Just 43 appearances this season, for 7.6 minutes a game. In that span, he averaged 3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.1 blocks and 0.2 steals. He's not a horrible player to be honest and I think he could be a valuable bench player to the right team.

PF B.J. Whitehead - Detroit Pistons
A lowly 30 appearances, with an anemic 6.4 minutes a game for a sickly 1.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.6 assists, 0.1 blocks and 0.3 steals. My feeling is that he'll be dumped to the D-league next year, though there's a chance somebody'll sign him.

SF Brian Robertson - Free Agent
No love whatsoever. I have to wonder how long before he finally just calls it quits.

B.B. Dyer tells me again at the meeting that he'll go no more than $15 million over the cap. Maybe I should've promised him a championship, but it is what it is and we have to work within those financial parameters.

As it stands right now, we're almost $24 million over the cap (that's including our expired contracts, by the way) and have 8 players signed. As much as it pains me to do it, I decide to shop around Kirk Hinrich, because we -have- to reduce our cap number.

We talk to every team in the league, but nobody and I mean nobody is interested in a 35 year old guard making $10 million a year over the next two seasons, no matter how good he is. Not when he hasn't started since 2013.

So we're stuck with what we've got, because I refuse to move any of the others. We've got a great nucleus here and I don't want to disrupt it for anything.

Coach Hiring

We have to fill a new staff of assistants, which sucks but there you go.

Head Coaches
Steve Van Gundy - Phoenix Suns
Don Nelson - New Jersey Nets
Mike D'Antoni - Miami Heat
Pat Riley - Cleveland Cavaliers

We've two septugenarians on our coaching staff now in Larry Brown and new 1st assistant Larry Riley. 2nd assistant Jerry Sichting and 3rd assistant Bill Self are a comparatively spry 57 and 52. I'm not happy with any of the assistants I landed, but it's a very, very weak hiring pool this season.

Tim Duncan is the new GM of the Knicks at 40 years old. Going to be interesting to see how he does. Eric Snow, another comparatively recent NBA player, is the 1st assistant and he could be a head coach now to be honest. Good things are in place at the Knicks organization, ironically enough, though it's anybody's guess what's going to happen in Duncan's rookie year as GM.

Mock Draft

No real standout players this year, which makes it a rough year for the Cavaliers to hold the #1 pick. That said, I really like the looks of senior C David Jackson out of Utah and I'd probably draft him if I were the Cavs, judging from initial impressions.

This draft class is absolutely stacked at C. There's Jackson, and a number of big 7'+ centers worth looking at, 19 year old Argentinian Fabian Kruger, Cincinnati senior Roger Bohm, who, if he slides far enough, I may move up to try and get, and Kansas freshman Brendan Mickael. That's not counting all the other centers that may be worth perusing, by the way. That's just the tall, big guys.

We're projected to take Connecticut junior PF Mario Duty in the mocks, but I'm not so sure about him.

A bunch of players are brought in for workouts, including a number of possible second rounders, since we have on this year... at least for now.

It's going to be a fascinating draft.

[Izulde]

Out of all the guys we brought in for a workout, only one really impressed us much. Kind of disappointing, but that's the way it goes. If he drops out of say, the top 5, we might make a move up to try and grab him.

2016 NBA Draft 1st Round
1. C Greg Wilden - Cleveland Cavaliers

I'm not so sure I agree with this one. I mean, the guy played for Florida International and while they made noise in the NCAAs this year, I just don't see this as a solid top choice, particularly not with Wilden's being undersized for a five.

2. PF Rashard Ferguson - Chicago Bulls
3. C Roger Bohm - Golden State Warriors

....Well, damn it. That was the lone guy we were targeting and he goes third overall. The worst organization in the NBA finally made a really smart move and got themselves a real gamer.

4. PG Corey Neal - New Jersey Nets
5. PF Matthew Saunders - New Orleans Hornets

The Hawks are up next and really, there's only one guy left worthwhile in this draft in my opinion and there's a pretty good chance that he'll get picked up by Atlanta.

So I call the Hawks and find them surprisingly amiable to a trade. We work out a deal quickly.

Denver Nuggets receive
Atlanta Hawks 2016 1st round pick (#6 overall)
PG Javaris Crittenton

Atlanta Hawks receive
Denver Nuggets 2016 1st round pick (#21 overall)
Denver Nuggets 2016 2nd round pick (#34 overall)
Utah Jazz 2018 1st round pick
SG Willie Green

What this means for the Nuggets
The oft-traveled Crittenton, famed for his ball-handling skills, is back in Denver, much to GM Jestor's delight. His return means the Nuggets can renounce Brandon Brooks and allow him to go in free agency. Denver also gets the opportunity to draft a player they really like with this pick.

What this means for the Hawks
Atlanta's not going to be a major player anytime soon, so by acquiring the extra picks, particularly the 2018 1st rounder of the Jazz, allows them to find some more young pieces to go with what they already have. Green's an expiring contract next year of $3.6 million, a nice bonus as the Hawks try and build cap room.

Advantage: Draw
A lot of it depends on what that 2018 1st round pick turns into. Denver acquires a player they covet in the draft, but the higher slot and Crittenton's larger salary mean the Nuggets are going to be facing considerable cap trouble this year.

Bah, I don't care. I don't feel like I really had to give up much to get a shot at a player who could turn out aces for us.

6. C David Jackson - Denver Nuggets

The analysts all applaud the pick and I'm feeling good about it too. There's some concerns about his attitude which caused him to drop out of the top 5, but he's got great physical tools and I think all the elements to become a key part of our ballclub. Plus, we've got guys like Emeka Okafor who can help control Jackson on a chemistry level.

7. PF Antonio Sarchet - Phoenix Suns

I considered Sarchet, but he doesn't appear to have the size to be able to bang in the post.

8. SF George Baker - Washington Wizards
9. PG Louis Mertens - Seattle Supersonics
10. PF Chris Walker - Los Angeles Clippers
11. SG David Tucker - Dallas Mavericks
12. C Fabian Kruger - Miami Heat
13. C Ryan Yeager - Minnesota Timberwolves
14. PG Brandon Carey - New York Knicks
15. PF James Jennings - Utah Jazz
16. C Brendan Mickael - San Antonio Spurs
17. PG Matt Allen - Sacramento Kings
18. SG Jelani Kurtz - Houston Rockets
19. SF Ross Crispin - Los Angeles Lakers
20. PG Tyson Anderson - Charlotte Bobcats
21. SG Larry Bannister - Atlanta Hawks
22. PG Jordan Muhammad - Memphis Grizzlies
23. PG Greg Lumpkin - Milwaukee Bucks
24. SF Larry Smith - Orlando Magic
25. C Nathan Anderson - Portland Trailblazers
26. SG Curtis Phillips - Detroit Pistons
27. C Mark McCray - Indiana Pacers
28. SG Hamilton George - Philadelphia 76ers
29. SF Garvin Marks - Toronto Raptors
30. PF Byron Davis - Boston Celtics

The immediate post-draft weigh-in on David Jackson says he probably wasn't worthy of a top 6 pick, but I predict he'll prove everyone wrong by the time he's done. At the very least, he should see some major minutes and possibly be the starter at C while Tim Davis recovers from his torn ACL.

We're just over $12 million over the cap once we renounce everyone and have a grand total of 9 players signed. Obviously we'll be going with min-sals in free agency.

Summer League

David Jackson and Lindsey Williamson are the only two contracted Nuggets going to the summer league team.

We get flat-out crushed 101-63 in the opening game of the summer league by the Dallas Mavericks. On the plus side, David Jackson got 12 points and 11 rebounds, despite getting no help from his teammates.

The offense wakes up and wins 107-89 over Golden State, thanks primarily to bench scrubs Marques Simmons (13 points), Shamar Allen (14 points) and Isaac Slater (11 points). None of these guys will make the team obviously, but they're largely showcasing their skills for the D-league, I suspect.

David Jackson has 16 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Boys of Summer to a 104-94 win over the Hawks summer squad. Lindsey Williamson adds 12 points off the bench and so does Nochimas Mahram. Marques Simmons adds 10 points off the bench himself.

We overcome 31 points from 2nd overall pick Rashard Ferguson to win out 105-88 over the Bulls. Nochimas Mahram scores 23 off the bench, Marques Simmons adds 13 points as a reserve and Lindsey Williamson just misses a bench double-double with 11 points and 9 rebounds. Ferguson looks a -lot- like a PF version of the Great Polish Sieve.

The summer league concludes with a thrilling 90-88 victory over the Celtics. Vidal White breaks out for 21 points and Sam Johnson adds 10 bench points.

Free Agency

I find myself wishing we had the money to play because this is a seriously great free agent crop this year, but I won't even depress myself by listing the ones out there. I do, however, plan to note major free agent team changes.

We bring Mike Nooner back on a two-year deal following his great performance for us last year.

The first big free agent jump is Yao Ming, who leaps to the Spurs for $11 million and change on a one year deal. There goes Houston's hopes of staying back up on top. Say hello to a newly revived Spurs team. As if I didn't already hate having to play San Antonio.

Eddy Curry heads to the Pacers for one year, $7 million, instantly giving Indiana the inside presence they so desparately lacked. I'm going to go ahead now and call them one of the preseason favorites in the East. Curry alone won't solve the Raptors riddle, but he goes a long way towards it.

On the same day, Brandon Brooks gets a nice 5 year, $39.4 million deal from the Golden State Warriors, who appear determined to be more than the laughinstock of the league next season. They'll probably still suck, but I applaud them for their moves this offseason.

The Rockets make a nice recovery after losing Yao, scooping up Carlos Boozer and Tony Parker on one year, $7 million and change contracts. Maybe they won't be descending quite so fast after all. It's going to be hard for them to overcome the PR hit from losing Yao, though.

Pau Gasol gets $6.3 million from the Jazz to play in Utah for a year. Some interesting team switches by the old players here.

It's a sign of how low the Timberwolves have fallen that they give Darko Milicic a 3 year, $11.8 million contract. But then, I suppose Darko's a lot like Phillip Gill; the perpetual project player everyone believes can still be great long after their careers have established they won't be.

It takes forever, but we finally re-sign Thabo Sefolosha to a two-year min-sal deal and grab Steve Neal, a Sefolosha clone in some respects except for an unknown post-season commodity also on a minimum deal. I think our Swissman wanted more money, which is why he held out so long. After he realize he wasn't going to get it, he came back to us.

That's the end of our shopping because we're at $14.9 million over the cap and we have no more room. We have the league minimum of 12 players, even though we can only play 11 until Tim Davis comes back from his ACL injury.

Quincy Douby gets $5.7 million on one year from the Bulls. Wow. I know he's a proven playoff warrior, but that's way too much money.

Somewhat against my better judgement, I go ahead and give Lindsey Williamson his 4th year option. Next year is going to be absolutely brutal in terms of the cap. 10 players signed and we're already committed to $61.3 million. And that's with Zelipe Gama going out of contract after this year.

At this point, I'd trade Kirk Hinrich for a song. I try and do just that, beating the bushes and making the calls around the league. We come close to a deal with the Pacers which would involve Ben Gordon's return to Denver, but they want that little extra which just isn't enough.

And in the end, nobody wants to take on his contract, even when we get a fair deal worked out for both ends.

This presents us with a very real problem, as in order to re-sign Zelipe Gama next year, we're going to need a lot more cap room than we currently have. We'll see how the season goes and will visit again the possibilites of a trade later on.

Training Camp

Mateen Yeaton looks like he may have regressed a little bit, which is some cause for concern. On the other end, David Jackson made major improvements on his free throw shooting, though the jury's still out on just how good he'll end up being.

Not much to report for the other guys. A pretty quiet camp, all in all.

2016 Denver Nuggets Opening Day Lineup
PG Zelipe Gama
SG Mateen Yeaton
SF Ron McPherson
PF Emeka Okafor
C David Jackson
6th Javaris Crittenton (PG/SG)
7th Kirk Hinrich (PG/SG)
8th Mike Nooner (SF/PF)
9th Thabo Sefolosha (PG/SG/SF)
10th Steve Neal (PG/SG/SF)
11th Lindsey Williamson (SF/PF/C)
12th Tim Davis (INJ)

We're picked as the 5th seed in the West, 3rd in the division behind Portland, the conference favorite and Seattle. The Supersonics do have some great young firepower in Brooks Smith, Nate Bonner, Andre Quarles and Branko Starcevic, but Saer Sene is old in the middle and Seattle doesn't play D worth a damn.

New Orleans is picked for 2nd in the West, which makes me laugh really hard. They're not going to even make the playoffs I'm sure and we'll be punching a lottery ticket. The Sonics are 3rd, with the 4th team the Rockets, who have a fascinating lineup.

Houston Rockets Starters
PG Tony Parker
SG Duez Walker
SF Georghios Kairis
PF Carlos Boozer
C Brandan Wright

I'll admit I was wrong on Kairis, who's blossomed into a fine player. Surprising to see Duez still holding down a starting job, though. But I guess it just goes to show that I can draft 'em.

Out East it's all the Raptors, who somehow got 21 year old Justin Richler on a 5 year, $32.2 million deal even though he averaged 21.5 points a game last year for the Nets. I'm really getting tired of the bullshit and the shenanigans Toronto pulls. Where the hell was everyone else making a fat deal to the this great young superstar, who scores like LeBron. I mean sure, Richler's Canadian and home country pride and all that... but damn it. I mothereffing -hate- the Raptors. Kobe Bryant and Andrea Bargnani are the freaking BACKUPS for crying out loud.

The Knicks are picked for 2nd in the annual great joke. The Cavs are third, which I can see, the Bulls fourth, which I can also see. What I can't see is Indiana in the lottery.

That's just stupid. Kind of like everybody in the NBA letting the Raptors steal talent every bleeping free agency.

I need a drink.

[Izulde]

The year starts off with a pleasant 88-73 thrashing of the Lakers. Great team defense, 34 points from Mateen Yeaton and 10 bench points from Kirk Hinrich are enough to get the win. David Jackson has 2 points, 10 rebounds and 2 assists in his Nuggets debut. Not the most auspicious start, but he'll improve, I'm sure.

Such as the next game, a 119-80 beatdown of the Timberwolves, where David Jackson has 17 points and 13 rebounds, Mateen Yeaton scores 26, Ron McPherson gets 24 points and Zelipe Gama garners 12 points and 13 assists. Kirk Hinrich continues his hot start with 12 points off the bench. Guess it's a good thing we didn't trade him.

The Jazz play us close to the vest, but 28 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 9 steals from Mateen Yeaton dooms Utah to a 95-89 loss. I think that must be close to some sort of record... 9 steals... amazing. Ron McPherson seals the deal with 23 points and Lindsey Williamson tops the reserves with 10 points.

Utah's even more fast and furious two nights later, but we just barely stave them off 104-102 on the wings of [b]Ron McPherson[b/]'s 25 points and Mateen Yeaton's 20. Steve Neal breaks out with 15 points as the first of the second unit. The next evening, we allow Brooks Smith to score 40 points and Nate Bonner to get 16 points and 16 rebounds, but that's all for Seattle in a 104-78 beatdown. Mateen Yeaton scores 28 and our bench is hot, with Steve Neal scoring 16, Kirk Hinrich 13. Looks like Neal's this year's Mike Nooner.

The Pistons are hungry to beat us, but Dan Jacobson and Phillip Gill are non-factors and we rip Detroit apart 106-78. Ron McPherson scores 25, Mateen Yeaton puts up 22 points, Emeka Okafor doubles with 11 points and 11 rebounds and Zelipe Gama picks up 13 points and 10 assists. Our bench is keyed by Thabo Sefolosha and Steve Neal with 10 points a piece.

After we flatten the Kings 94-70, some are beginning to ask aloud if we can be beat, especially when we get Tim Davis back. Mateen Yeaton scores 27 and David Jackson has his best game yet as a pro, with 20 points and 14 rebounds. Maybe he's the answer, either at PF or even at C.

Of course, precisely at the moment a few of the press begin calling us unbeatable is when we run into the ridiculously overpowered Raptors, losing 115-108. Justin Richler and David Anyan both drop 25 points on us and Chris Bosh shreds us for 33 points. On our end, Mateen Yeaton scores 29, David Jackson pours in 19 points and 17 rebounds, Zelipe Gama adds 16 points and 15 assists and Steve Neal tops the reserves with 10 points. I'm wondering if maybe we don't need more scoring punch with the second team.

Mateen Yeaton takes out his anger at losing to Toronto on the Bulls, scoring 29 points and Steve Neal again leads the bench with 12 points as we overcome all five Chicago starters scoring 11 points or better. It's good to know we've got the toughness to shake off the disappointing loss and rebound for a 113-94 squash.

I really have to feel sorry for Jonte Jones. He's one of the top 3 best players in the entire league, but he has -zero- help on the current version of the Mavericks, even worse than Kelvin Moody in Minnesota. We destroy Dallas 113-84 as Emeka Okafor explodes for 28 points, 9 rebounds, an assist and 5 blocks. Steve Neal surprises with 22 points off the bench and Lindsey Williamson doubles with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

A frenzied fourth quarter rally by the Nets falls just short and we escape with a 105-103 victory. Mateen Yeaton scores 29, Ron McPherson's just behind him with 28 points and we get doubles out of Emeka Okafor (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Zelipe Gama (10 points, 16 assists). Steve Neal leads the second team again with 10 points and I'm kicking myself for not signing him to a two-year deal. But then again, nothing in his career record shows he'd break out like this. More on him later, probably at the All-Star break.

I said before the season that the Spurs are back after signing Yao Ming and they give us a hell of a fight for three quarters before our eventual 99-93 victory is powered by a comeback fourth quarter. Ron McPherson scores 25 and Mateen Yeaton adds 20 points to carry us, but Kirk Hinrich deserves credit too for his 15 bench points. We sweep both games of the doubleheader, knocking off the Rockets 95-66 in Houston the next night. Mateen Yeaton scores 34 and Emeka Okafor muscles his way to 14 points and 15 rebounds.

Since we have their 1st round pick this year, I'm glad when we take the sting out of the Hornets 111-93. Mateen Yeaton has his second straight 30+ point game with 35, Ron McPherson scores 20 and Emeka Okafor and Zelipe Gama double with 11 points and 14 rebounds and 19 points and 14 assists respectively.

The Cavaliers are our final victim of the month, unhorsed by the score of 118-94. Ron McPherson scores 30 and Javaris Crittenton adds 10 points off the bench, but all the talk is about Zelipe Gama's amazing game of 19 points, 15 assists, 4 rebounds, a block and 7 steals. It's pretty clear to see how he and Mateen Yeaton ended up co All-Defense 1st Teamers.

So after the first month, we're the best team in the whole NBA record-wise at 14-1. The Timberwolves and Jazz are already buried under a 5.5 game margin. The Spurs are hot, too, though, with a 13-3 mark and for the first time in years, the Lakers are in last place in the Pacific at 5-11. The Purple and Gold can stay there for all I care.

In equally happy news, the Hornets are off to a dismal 2-12 start.

It's business as usual in the East, the Raptors owning everyone with a 13-4 record, the Bucks and Pacers tied for the Central lead and everybody having a shot in a competitive Southeast. The Pistons are a sickly 3-11, however and that's not even the biggest surprise.

For the New Yorks have a winning record at 8-6.

Tim Davis is still out for 2 months.

I'll do a Yeaton/Buboltz comparison at the end of next month.

I have to say, I absolutely love our blistering start.

[Izulde]

Seattle Supersonics receive
PG Craig Shehan

L.A. Clippers receive
SG Angelo Mascoe

What this means for the Sonics
Shehan can play PG and that's it. He's a horrible defender with mediocre passing skills and has absolutely nothing to recommend him in the four and change seasons since he was drafted 18th overall by the Grizzlies in 2012. Worse yet, this acquisition takes away playing time from 19 year old Belgian rookie Louis Mertens, who while also being awful at defense, has potential to develop into a solid backup PG, maybe even a starter at some point.

What this means for the Clippers
The 25 year old Mascoe, in his 3rd season after being drafted 12th overall by Seattle in 2014, has a great outside shot and free throw shooting. He's a terrible ballhandler for a guard, but he could turn out a pretty decent player. Getting him turned out to be a real blessing for the Clippers after Baron Davis went down with a broken ankle two weeks after this trade.

Advantage: Clippers
The Red and White actually improved their team with the deal while Seattle actually took a step back, both for their present and their future.

Orlando Magic receive
PF David West

New Orleans Hornets receive
PF David Lee

What this means for the Magic
West has a great inside shot and some scoring insticts, but is average in every other respect. He's owed $9.6 million next season as well, so he's a bit of a cap hog. That said, Orlando had no one that could get points inside, especially not on the bench, so West fills a large hole that way.

What this means for the Hornets
Lee's got good rebounding skills and is $2 million cheaper than West. Those are the only advantages he gives New Orleans over their former player.

Advantage: Orlando
The Magic get more bang for their buck here than the Hornets and that's enough to decide who has the edge.

I'm tempted to make a deal myself and it's not just because I'm notorious for making trades. There's still the cap trouble looming ahead next year. Sure I could promise a championship and sure I could tough out one year of being over B.B. Dyer's financial expectations, but the Knicks experience still haunts me and I love this Nuggets team and don't want to leave it.

It doesn't take us long at all to make a deal.

Denver Nuggets receive
PG Marcus Williams
Atlanta Hawks 2019 2nd round pick

Atlanta Hawks receive
PG Javaris Crittenton

What this means for the Nuggets
Williams has much more offensive punch than Crittenton and the two are about equal in terms of passing skill, but the key for the Nuggets is really that Williams' contract expires after this season, freeing up vital cap room for Denver to make a play at retaining Zelipe Gama. Incidentally, Williams also played for the Nuggets in 2013, coming to Denver as part of the Paulinho Buboltz/Mateen Yeaton deal.

What this means for the Hawks
Crittenton was the starting PG last year for the Hawks and now he's right back where he was last season, resuming his role as the starter at the point for Atlanta. This may not be a good thing, as Atlanta was 30-52 last year and they're 7-7 so far this season. On the other hand, Crittenton is a much better ballhandler and defender than Williams.

Advantage: Draw
Both teams appear to benefit by it, although it's costing Atlanta a 2nd round pick and some payroll flexibility next year to get their old starting PG back.

Personally, I think we won the deal. We got some trade bait in addition to some payroll relief and I wanted more scoring off the bench anyway, as I don't expect Kirk Hinrich and Steve Neal especially to maintain their current pace.

December starts with a chilly clunker, a 103-98 loss to the Heat for just our second loss of the year. Ron McPherson scored 28, Mateen Yeaton 21 and we got 10 points and 10 rebounds out of Emeka Okafor and 12 bench points from Kirk Hinrich, but our newest Nugget, Marcus Williams, shoots a piss-poor 1 for 6, which didn't help matters.

Mateen Yeaton scores 32 points and Zelipe Gama summons up 14 points and 19 assists as we dispell the Magic 115-96 in our next game. Good to see us regroup, particularly since the annual East Conference Road Gauntlet is up next.

The nation's capital hosts our 97-87 victory over the Wizards as Zelipe Gama plays the role of a dastardly Spanish conquistador with 20 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 blocks and a steal. Ron McPherson adds 25 points and Emeka Okafor completes the torching with 17 points and 18 rebounds.

Our biggest win of the season comes next in Toronto as we stun the Raptors 124-118 behind 42 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 blocks and a steal from Mateen Yeaton, 14 points and 15 rebounds from David Jackson and hot bench scoring from Mike Nooner (12 points) and Thabo Sefolosha (11 points). The boost to our morale from this victory simply can't be overstated.

The party continues in New York, Mateen Yeaton the MC with 33 points in a baller 118-95 whipping of the Knicks. A shoutout goes to Emeka Okafor with 11 points and 12 rebounds and to Thabo Sefolosha with 13 points to bust out with the second team. But the real macdaddy of the evening is David Jackson who showed some real playa skills in rolling the Knickies up for 22 points and 12 rebounds. The thought of a Jackson/Tim Davis frontcourt over the next several years is a delicious one and I can already hear opposing coaches' brains blowing out in aneurysm trying to solve that riddle. That pairing would be even more brutal than the Raptors' frontcourt, who, while they got game, they don't have the physical brutality that our big boys can engineer on the D.L.

The doubleheader in Philadelphia and Boston are the toughest two-game stretch we've all had year. Mateen Yeaton scores 26 points as all five of our starters score 11 points or better in edging the 76ers 93-85. Zelipe Gama was key with 12 points and 13 assists and Kirk Hinrich contributed 10 points off the bench. The Celtics ambush us in a stinking 1-point 100-99 loss. Our bench played like shit all game, negating 26 points and 12 assists from Zelipe Gama and 22 points from Ron McPherson. This does not make me happy in the least.

I'm even less happy when we lose 115-108 to Miami on the front end of a back-to-back. Dwayne Wade scored 31 on us the first time the Heat beat us this month and he scores 33 in this rematch. We absolutely waste 46 points from Mateen Yeaton and 20 points and 16 rebounds from Emeka Okafor. Our bench sucked again and David Jackson scored a goose egg, as in 0 points. We grind out an 87-73 victory over Orlando the next night to break the mini-losing streak. Steve Neal and Lindsey Williamson finally end the subs' streak of suck with 11 points and 10 rebounds respectively and Mateen Yeaton and Ron McPherson step up with 20 points a piece on the nose.

So not a good road trip at all, not with the way we'd played in November.

But it is what it is and we have a homecoming party by beating up the Suns 106-89. Ron McPherson punches Phoenix for 25 points, Mateen Yeaton helps out with 21 points, Zelipe Gama collects 10 points and 11 assists and Steve Neal rises out of the second team for 11 points.

Zelipe Gama plays an early Santa Claus with 21 assists, Mateen Yeaton scores 28, Ron McPherson 22 and we get 16 points and 15 rebounds out of Emeka Okafor to smack the silly Sonics 112-97 in Seattle. Kirk Hinrich added 10 bench points, but we still need more firepower in my opinion. Then again, we'll get a big boost when Tim Davis comes back sometime in February.

Dallas may suck these days, but Jonte Jones always keeps games respectable and our 108-102 victory over the Mavericks on Christmas Eve is surprisingly tough as a result. Fantastic game from our starting five, though. Zelipe Gama had 11 points and 15 assists, Mateen Yeaton scored 19, Ron McPherson just missed a double-double with 23 points and 9 assists, Emeka Okafor got the double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds and David Jackson rounded things out with a matching 21 points. Golden State is much less of a challenge on Christmas Day, falling 115-87 before the might of Mateen Yeaton's 33 points, Zelipe Gama's 18 points and 14 assists and Steve Neal's 14 bench points.

We nerf the 76ers, holding them to 26.9% shooting and all 5 of our starters scored 12 points or more in a 90-57 pasting. Zelipe Gama -just- missed the triple-double with 12 points, 9 assists and 9 rebounds.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are even more fun than their Christmas equivalents as we win both games handily. The Lakers can't do jack against us in Los Angeles and we beat them 95-78 as Mateen Yeaton scores 28 and David Jackson has 10 points and 13 rebounds. Mateen Yeaton the lead scorer again with 26 points against the Clippers on the first day of the New Year, nearly every one of the rest of the starters playing great as well. Ron McPherson with 22 points. Emeka Okafor with 17 points and 13 rebounds and Zelipe Gama with 16 points and 13 assists.

We're still the kings of the NBA by a huge margin as the closest team to our 27-4 record is the 23-9 Spurs. We enjoy a 10.5 game advantage over the Jazz in the Northwest, while San Antonio's up by 9 in the Southwest.

But the West overall is the weakest it's been in years, maybe even decades. Just 4 teams in the West Conference have winning records right now and it's not even close.

Denver 27-4
San Antonio 23-9
Utah 17-15
Sacramento 15-13

That's it. No wonder we have a 16-0 conference mark.

Therefore, it shouldn't surprise you that the East has 11 teams with winning records at this juncture. The Raptors and Bucks are in a virtual tie for the top seed, but both of them are behind us and the Spurs. Because of all this winning madness going on, only the 4-25 Nets are way out of it. In fact, with the exception of New Jersey, the worst last place team in a division is only 5.5 out. That'd be the Bulls, who are 13-15 in the Central, with the Bucks at 18-9.

Good thing I don't have the Cavs pick this year. They're 17-13. Conversely, the pick we do have, the Hornets, are presently 5-24.

But the conference inequality isn't even the most shocking story to me.

It's that the Knicks are in 2nd place in the Atlantic, just 2 games out on the Raptors at 18-12.

What a strange, strange NBA world we live in so far this season.

Paulinho Buboltz-Mateen Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/82 starts - 19.1 PPG 8.7 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.4 SPG
2015 Stats: 55 games/48 starts - 14.1 PPG 8.3 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.2 SPG
2016 Stats: 28 games/28 starts - 19.9 PPG 8.8 APG 3.6 RPG 0.8 BPG 1.5 SPG

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/80 starts - 23.2 PPG 3.6 APG 5.2 RPG 1.7 BPG 1.3 SPG
2015 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.6 PPG 2.4 APG 4.5 RPG 1.6 BPG 1.5 SPG
2016 Stats: 31 games/31 starts - 26.4 PPG 3.3 APG 4.5 RPG 2.2 BPG 2.0 SPG

[Izulde]

Cleveland Cavaliers receive
SF Donte Whiting

New York Knicks receive
PF Ryan Glosier

What this means for the Cavaliers
Whiting can provide some good scoring off the bench, but that's about it. On the other hand, his defense is an upgrade from Glosier.

What this means for the Knicks
Glosier is a horrible defender, but has a good inside shot and can rebound decently. He's a good depth acquisition, given that Ronny Smith is struggling with an ankle injury. He's also $7.6 million off the Knicks' extremely bloated budget ($36.3 million over the cap)

Advantage: New York
The Knicks get a lot more here and it doesn't seem like they'll miss Whiting much.

Utah Jazz receive
SG Rico Wolfe
Golden State Warriors 2017 2nd round pick

Golden State Warriors receive
C Jimmy Johnson
PF Jeremy Stevenson
SG Mardy Collins

What this means for the Jazz
Utah desperately needs some youth in their backcourt and Wolfe, taken 24th overall by the Pistons in 2012, provides them that. He's got a good outside shot, knows how to convert the charity stripe points and can play pretty good defense. He's the first guard off the bench, too. If the Jazz opt not to re-sign him, Rico's a $3 million clearance off the cap. The probable high 2nd rounder is nice too.

What this means for the Warriors
This deal boils down to Wolfe + 2nd rounder for Johnson, as Stevenson and Collins both get cut immediately after. Johnson, taken 20th overall by the Jazz in 2014, has potential to be a respectable all-around C, but he's still raw and it's not certain he'll be re-signed. Yes, Golden State needed to get some youth on the team, but Johnson's probably not going to be around long enough to realize whatever potential he has.

Advantage: Utah
The Jazz get some nice advantages here, even if Wolfe's only a rental, whereas the Warriors may have needlessly given away expiring cap money and a high 2nd rounder.

Atlanta Hawks receive
PF Chris Borman

Chicago Bulls receive
Atlanta Hawks 2017 1st round pick

What this means for the Hawks
It's not often that you see a 2nd round pick (32nd overall, Chicago, 2014) get traded for a 1st rounder, but it happens here. Borman's one of those players who's good at a lot of things, but great at nothing. That said, he's 23, becomes an immediate starter at SF and is signed to just over $1 million a year through 2019. That's the kind of cheap, good young talent that's worth a mid-to-late 1st rounder.

What this means for the Bulls
Chicago has 4 of 5 starters under 25 (Raymond Felton, the 33 year old PG, is the lone exception) and Borman just wasn't getting any playing time given the quality of those young studs, so to turn a former 2nd rounder into a 1st round pick is a brilliant move.

Advantage: Draw
Both teams benefit significantly from this deal. One of those trades you have to like, no matter which side you're on.

Orlando Magic receive
PF Andris Biedrins

New Jersey Nets receive
PG Brent Short

What this means for the Magic
One season it's all that it's taken for Biedrins to go from starter with the Jazz to end of the bench player for the Nets and Orlando. That said, he's signed for two seasons and our opinion is that he's actually better than the other Orlando big men reserves. He just needs to be given the chance to show it.

What this means for the Nets
Short has a beautiful outside shot, great defense and good passing and ballhandling skills. But his shortness (5'11) limits him to PG only and New Jersey's stacked at the point. There's a reason why New Jersey has the worst record in the NBA and having two roster spots taken up by guys who can only play PG is a prime example of that.

Advantage: Orlando
If the Magic utilize Biedrins more, they should be able to take the Southeast title. Good move for them, bad move for the Nets.

Nothing feels better than starting off the month with back-to-back wins. Especially when the first one is a 101-80 beatdown of the Spurs in San Antonio and all 5 of our starters rock the house. Zelipe Gama - 10 points, 20 assists, Mateen Yeaton - 26 points, Ron McPherson - 21 points, Emeka Okafor - 22 points, 13 rebounds and David Jackson - 10 points and 10 rebounds. Our stellar backcourt strikes again in a 113-98 win over the Rockets the next night. Mateen Yeaton scores 36 points, Zelipe Gama has 13 points and 16 assists and Ron McPherson adds 21 points.

The blowouts keep piling on in the following doubleheader. 101-76 over the Kings on the wings of Mateen Yeaton's 25 points and double-doubles of 14 points and 12 rebounds and 10 points and 21 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and David Jackson respectively. 113-94 squash of the Lakers as Mateen Yeaton scores 34, Ron McPherson adds 24 points, Emeka Okafor gets 17 points and 10 rebounds, Zelipe Gama gets an even 10 points and assists and Kirk Hinrich scores 10 off the bench.

We knock out the Timberwolves 110-91 due to Mateen Yeaton (24 points), Ron McPherson (20 points), Emeka Okafor 23 points and 13 rebounds) and Zelipe Gama (18 points, 11 assists). I think it's safe to say that we have the best starting five in the entire league. Minnesota's been getting rocked hard, by the way, after Kelvin Moody tore his ACL on the 8th. The Timberwolves also have a bunch o other injuries, but losing Moody hurts the worst.

Golden State surprisingly roughouses us, but we fight back in the fourth quarter for a 116-112 victory on the road. Mateen Yeaton scores 33, David Jackson gathers up 14 points and 10 rebounds and Zelipe Gama has 11 points and 12 assists. Our bench woke up for the first time in a long time, with 16 points from Steve Neal and 10 points from Mike Nooner. 10 points off the bench from Steve Neal, 24 points from Mateen Yeaton and 11 points, 19 rebounds and 8 assists from David Jackson can't save us against Seattle though, as the Sonics sneak by us and we lose 93-89 on the road. It's our first loss this month and our first conference loss of the season.

We bounce back to throttle Memphis 106-87 a few nights later. Mateen Yeaton scores 34, Ron McPherson 24 and Mike Nooner adds 11 points off the bench.

Five consecutive away games up next, including two doubleheaders against the Central division. We start things off right with a 110-95 win over the Mavericks keyed by Mateen Yeaton's 31 points and 14 bench points from Lindsey Williamson, who every now and again makes me glad I signed him for his fourth season.

The Bulls' extraordinarily gifted youngsters beat us 107-90 despite 24 points from Mateen Yeaton, 11 points and 10 rebounds and 10 points and 11 rebounds from Emeka Okafor and David Jackson respectively and 10 and 11 respective reserve points from Mike Nooner and Steven Neal. We triumph the next night over the Pistons, 109-103, behind an explosive 26 points from benchman Steve Neal. He was the only statistical star for us on the evening, too.

Milwaukee goes down 111-96 as 7 Nuggets score 11 points or more. Tim Davis had 11 points and 11 rebounds in his first game back from his ACL injury and Zelipe Gama 13 points and 12 assists. Kirk Hinrich scored 14 off the bench and David Jackson added 12 points in his reserve debut. Unfortunately, we lose for the third time in January, 102-93, the next night to the Pacers. Zelipe Gama was heroic with 22 points and 14 assists and Ron McPherson addded 20 points of his own, but Ben Gordon dropped 32 on us and Indiana is that much better with Eddy Curry in the middle. I have a hell of a lot of respect for the Central now after splitting 2-2 with them on the road trip.

Things return to normal in a convincing doubleheader of victories to finish January off. Emeka Okafor has 16 points and 13 rebounds, Tim Davis scores 27, Zelipe Gama gets 16 points and 10 assists and Steve Neal contributes 16 points off the bench as we squash the Knicks 110-90. Tim Davis definitely appears to be getting back in the groove, as he has 34 points and 10 rebounds in our 123-98 reaming of the Trailblazers in the last game of the month. Mateen Yeaton adds 33 points and that's the first time since I've been here that we've had two players score 30+ points in a game. Throw in 12 points and 10 rebounds from Emkeka Okafor, 10 points and 11 assists from Zelipe Gama and David Jackson's 10 bench points and you have arguably our most complete game of the year so far.

We're 39-7 as the month of love starts, 9 games ahead of Utah. There's still only 4 teams with a winning record in the West.

Denver Nuggets 39-7
Utah Jazz 30-16
San Antonio Spurs 30-17
Sacramento Kings 23-22

The Rockets (23-24) are the only team that's really close to .500. Sad state of affairs in the West this year.

Things are a little less crazy in the East, where we've dropped to 9 teams above .500. Toronto's still whipping everyone at 35-11, 7.5 ahead of the Knicks, who appear to be legit at 27-18.

The Central's still a warzone.

Milwaukee Bucks 25-18
Indiana Pacers 0.5 GB
Cleveland Cavaliers 1.5 GB
Chicago Bulls 4 GB

Everyone's still in it in the Southeast, as the last-place Heat are only 5.5 games out. Washington of all teams is out in front by 2.5 games.

Paulinho Buboltz-Mateen Yeaton Comparison

Paulinho Buboltz
2013 Stats: 82 games/77 starts - 17.0 PPG 9.5 APG 3.0 RPG 0.7 BPG 1.2 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/82 starts - 19.1 PPG 8.7 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.4 SPG
2015 Stats: 55 games/48 starts - 14.1 PPG 8.3 APG 2.8 RPG 0.5 BPG 1.2 SPG
2016 Stats: 44 games/44 starts - 18.3 PPG 8.3 APG 3.5 RPG 0.9 BPG 1.5 SPG

Mateen Yeaton
2013 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.3 PPG 2.4 APG 5.2 RPG 1.8 BPG 1.6 SPG
2014 Stats: 82 games/80 starts - 23.2 PPG 3.6 APG 5.2 RPG 1.7 BPG 1.3 SPG
2015 Stats: 82 games/81 starts - 23.6 PPG 2.4 APG 4.5 RPG 1.6 BPG 1.5 SPG
2016 Stats: 46 games/46 starts - 26.1 PPG 3.1 APG 4.5 RPG 1.9 BPG 1.9 SPG

[Coffee Warlord]

Lookin' like you found a real gem in David Jackson, I might add.