SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

**ronyell** · 04-06-2018, 07:34 PM

SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle (The Media & The Info)

TEAM-BY-TEAM DEPTH CHARTS

LEAGUE HISTORY INFO

**ronyell** · 04-06-2018, 07:35 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle (The Prologue)

We simmed from April 6th to the start of the playoffs and here is what you may have missed:

Philly is the hottest team in the league as they are riding a 16-game win streak into the playoffs. Simmons looks like he’ll be comfortable in a playoff setting, Embiid came back for the final two games and picked up right where he left off, Saric dropped 40 on the Mavs & they picked up a decisive win over Cleveland at home while holding Lebron to 12 points.

The Celtics won their final four games averaging 118 ppg over that span. Marcus Smart is expected to return near the end of the 1st round if the Celts can get past the 76ers. Their 4-game win streak helped them hang on to the #2 seed.

Lebron & the Cavs looked less than stellar in a loss to the Sixers but redeemed themselves in a 41 point route of the Knicks & then took them down again two days later. The Cavs go into the playoffs as the #4 seed.

Toronto went 2-2 in their final four games with their two losses being to non-playoff teams. The good news is that their two wins were over playoff teams Indy & Miami. Toronto hung on to their #1 spot clinching the #1 spot in the East for the 1st time in the franchise’s history.

THE REST
Indy closed out the season with losses to the depleted Dubs and the Raptors finishing up with home & home wins over the Hornets. Miami slumps into the playoffs being routed by both the Thunder & the Raptors. Milwaukee & Giannis looked to be building some chemistry with Brandon Jennings looking like a starter. Washington held on to the final playoff spot in the East despite their a 4-game losing streak before beating the Magic in their final game of the season. Detroit’s 4-game win streak which included a win over Toronto was not enough to get them into the playoffs as the missed the #8 spot by 1 game.

Houston secured the #1 seed in the West and a franchise high 67 wins as the closed out the season beating up on the lowly Lakers and Kings but taking an L to OKC. D’Antoni rested Harden and Paul over the past week and expected to be rested for round 1.

Golden State has won 7 straight and have starting looking like their former selves despite playing without Curry. Klay & Draymond have returned and KD has accepted the role and challenge as “the man” with Curry out, averaging 31 over the last 4.

Jimmy Butler returned to the lineup and the T’Wolves and spurred them on to win their final four, even scoring 40 in the final game of the season. Minny’s defense took even further strides and Coach Thibs even gave the team praise for their effort and progress in a post-game.

The Spurs struggled in April with their offense and defense looking terribly inconsistent. The bigger story is that Kawhi Leonard returned to in-game action for the final game of the season & despite losing to the Pelicans and skidding to #7 in the West; this gives them a huge boost heading into the playoffs.

The Blazers went 2-2 while sitting Lillard & McCollum. Impressive wins over the Spurs & Nuggets an acceptable loss to the surging Jazz and a tough loss to the Rockets see the Blazers into the #3 spot in the West. Maurice Harkless is expected to continue to be out unless the Blazers can make it deep into the 2nd round.

OKC and the Westbrook show put up monster numbers in wins over the rockets and the Heat helping them to the #6 seed. They continued to look lost at times in the 4th quarter and coach Donovan chose not to rest any of his stars down the stretch of the regular season.

THE REST
Utah continued to look like a well-oiled machine despite a loss to the defending champion Golden State Warriors. Their defense remains steady and Jae Crowder looks to be fitting in. Denver just held on to the #8 spot losing 3 of their final 4. AD was unable to lead the Pels to the playoffs as they ended the year tied with the Nuggets but losing the tie-breaker. The Lakers continued to show growth and Ingram showcased for next year as he scored 40 in the final game in a fiery win over the Clippers.

**ch46647** · 04-07-2018, 08:55 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

Ronyell- This is phenomenal. Your passion for NBA 2K is palpable.

**ayyitskev** · 04-08-2018, 06:32 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

April 12th, 2018

By: Adam Schefter

Around The NBA: End Of Regular Season

With the regular season now in the rear-view, the excitement around the league is all pointing towards the start of the postseason tomorrow. Me being me, however, my eyes are looking forward to the offseason. Now let me tell you, it'll be a big one. A lot of big names could be on the move, and these are just a couple of the reports I've been hearing prior to the playoffs beginning from both playoff teams, and those on the other end of the spectrum.

Charlotte Hornets & Head Coach Steve Clifford Expect To Part Ways. Following a lackluster 36-46 finish in the top-heavy-yet-not-so-deep Eastern Conference, Michael Jordan and co. expect to move on from current head coach Steve Clifford. Furthermore, I'm hearing that All-Star Kemba Walker as well as a still much left in the tank Dwight Howard could be on the move. Local word in Charlotte is that no one is safe, although teams after Frank Kaminsky would need cough up quite a price. No official comment from the team.

Third-Seed Trailblazers Ready To Make Noise. Portland superstar (yes, superstar) Damian Lillard is ready to get rocking, following a string of tweets hyping up his team and even throwing a shot at opposing superstar point guard Russell Westbrook. He since deleted the tweet, but it said, "A Stat-stuffer vs. a game changer... yeah ok.". The Blazers are among the hottest teams coming into the playoffs, sitting Lillard and CJ McCollum in their last couple of games and still finishing as the third seed. Westbrook chose not to comment much about it, telling reporters, "He's a good player, but I'm not worried." This is a matchup to keep eyes on.

Marc Gasol Frustrated At Grizzlies Front Office. The Spanish big man and former defensive player of the year award recipient Marc Gasol has expressed his frustration at the Memphis brass, with some conflicting reports saying that he has requested a trade. Gasol declined to comment, and called reports untrue. Gasol is now on the wrong side of 30, however can still be a key part for a team looking for a third star, such as Washington or Toronto. Memphis will likely ask for a first round pick and/or a young high-upside player.

Lance Stephenson Will Attempt To Lockdown King James In Round One. "Born Ready" Lance Stephenson has entered the starting lineup for a hungry Pacers team ready to upset the King in round one. Stephenson, as outspoken as anyone, has told local reporters, "I asked coach to give me 'Bron. I ain't scared of nothing, we're ready to show the world what we got."

Isaiah Thomas Is Reportedly Going To Retire If No Teams Meet His Contract Demands. The struggling Lakers star is set to test free agency, however according to reports, he's looking for money over 20 million a season, and threatens retirement if no one bites. Thomas might have been able to ask for that kinda dough two years ago, in the midst of a career year in Boston, however after his hip injury that had him bounce from Cleveland to Los Angeles, he'd be lucky to find a one year offer over 8 million. Still, a team like Sacramento could take a flier on the fallen star, however it would be foolish for teams to meet his demands.

**cormag001** · 04-08-2018, 09:36 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

April 12th, 2018

By: Bill Simmons

Can Kawhi Leonard be a Game Changer in the West?

You know, if you really think about it, Zaza Pachulia might've ended the Spurs dynasty.

Superstar Kawhi Leonard has been sidelined all but 10 games this season with a mysterious injury, officially called "right quadriceps tendinopathy". A time table was never set for Leonard's return, and the injury proved to be much more serious than initially believed. The Spurs season reflects the loss of their superstar -- garnering 46 wins, this is the first time in 18 years the Spurs have not finished the year with 50 or more.

While there are no blatant signs of tension from the Spurs, rumors have swirled about instability in the locker room. Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that the team had called together a meeting in March that centered frustration surrounding Kawhi. Although San Antonio's Danny Green denied the claims, it wouldn't be difficult to see how Kawhi's absence could affect overall morale.

How different would things have been if Zaza let Kawhi land on his baseline jumper in the third quarter of Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals? After all, the game had been asbolutely dominated by the Spurs. They were up 22 with 20 minutes to go when Kawhi went down. While it's impossible to know for sure what would have happened, it's tough to imagine the Spurs melting down like they did with Kawhi still in the lineup. Not to get too hypothetical, but the Spurs looked really, really good. Like, could maybe win one, two.... three ..... maybe even four games good.

While this season has been a bit of a disappointment for San Antonio, they're still in a familiar place -- the playoffs. With Kawhi's quad shockingly feeling better when the playoffs roll around, the Spurs get a chance at the defending champions in round one. While this Spurs team has been anything but dominant, returning the face of the franchise, a guy who happens to match up extremely well with the Warriors best player, gives the Spurs a shot again. In fact, this time around, the Warriors will be the team missing the face of the franchise -- two-time MVP Steph Curry is expected to miss the entire series.

Will the Spurs rally around Kawhi's return and pull off one of the most shocking upsets in the recent NBA? Probably not. Do I believe the Spurs and Kawhi can make the Warriors work for it? Absolutely. This series is packed with storylines and the talent shift from last season favors the underdogs. Keep your eyes on Kawhi.

**AdamJones113** · 04-08-2018, 11:40 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

James Harden (Rockets) (7) copy.jpg
Is this the year James Harden reigns supreme?

April 12, 2018

Adam Jones

2018 Playoff Preview

It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, not Christmas, but the NBA playoffs. Kawhi Leonard is back, as is Dwyane Wade; the 76ers are here, and they have won more than 50 games for the first time since their NBA Finals appearance against the Lakers.

Eastern Conference
(1) Toronto Raptors vs. (8) Washington Wizards
The Raptors, the East's best team all season long, get the team I believe to be the easiest squad to handle of the East's three last playoff teams. Not that the Wizards are an easy team to beat, by any means. John Wall is back, Otto Porter has become a top-tier third option, and Bradley Beal has probably never played better. But "never played better" fits the Raptors even more snugly, as Dwayne Casey's group looks poised to make their deepest run yet on the strength of their deepest squad ever. And Lowry and DeRozan are still pretty darn good, too. Toronto 4, Washington 1

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Miami Heat
Can the Celtics win without Kyrie Irving? Well, they're only going up against one of the most dogged teams in the entire NBA. Miami, despite starting fabled legend Dwyane Wade at the 2, doesn't quite have the skill to overcome Boston's newfound lack thereof. Brad Stevens, sans Kyrie and sans Gordon Hayward, is still one of the best coaches in the league and still has talented and hardworking players able to do his bidding and send the physically weakened but mentally hardened Celtics past the underdog Heat. Boston 4, Miami 1

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks
The 76ers leapfrogged the Cavaliers in pursuit of the #3 seed with a mammoth 16-game win streak that evoked memories of another time a 76er stepped over Tyronn Lue. But the 76ers are hardly playoff-hardened, and everyone knows that the postseason is a different beast. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a different beast, as well, and the Bucks have fought valiantly against tough Raptors teams in the past. Yet the 76ers' momentum, along with Joel Embiid, will propel them to the next round—just not with their win streak intact. Philadelphia 4, Milwaukee 2

(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) Indiana Pacers
Ooh boy. The league's most heavily scrutinized team goes up against one of the league's least-discussed franchises. Look, I love Myles Turner, Victor Oladipo, and the remarkable success story that is Indiana. But 21-20 on the road won't cut it in the playoffs, especially with such a young group. Oh, and there's one other thing I guess bears mentioning, that might have some affect on the outcome of the series. Do you really need me to say it? Playoff LeBron. The Cavs are not the same team they once were, but they won't be derailed so soon. Cleveland 4, Indiana 2

Western Conference
(1) Houston Rockets vs. (8) Denver Nuggets
Let's give Denver their due before they get hammered by the league's best team. Denver eked out a playoff berth in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, thanks in large part to the offensive brilliance of Nikola Jokic. But James Harden scores more points per game than the Nuggets have conference victories, and Denver is 15-26 on the road while Houston is a league-best 32-9. I'm reluctant to call for the brooms, but cleaning has never been so likely. Houston 4, Denver 0

(2) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
The best series of the first round pits the evil empire against the steady Pops. The Dubs are sans Steph Curry, while the Spurs appear to have Kawhi Leonard back. 'Twould be sweet poetic justice for Kawhi to vanquish his injurious foes, but the Spurs haven't been their constantly great selves all year, Kawhi's barely played, and Golden State is just still too powerful with KD, Draymond, and Klay. Don't think this one'll be easy, and Houston is certainly pulling for their in-state rivals. Golden State 4, San Antonio 3

(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) Oklahoma City Thunder
Russ vs. Dame is the best individual matchup of the first round. Both will come out flying after tremendous regular season campaigns. Portland hit the 50-win mark, while OKC squeezed into the postseason with 47... but a hungry Brodie is a ravenous winner. I don't think Portland has enough talent alongside Dame especially with Mo Harkless out: Steven Adams holds the advantage over Jusuf Nurkic, and Paul George is a better all-around player than C.J. McCollum. It will take Lillard's magic to see Portland through, and I just don't think the Thunder will clear enough to let him have it. Oklahoma City 4, Portland 2

(4) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (5) Utah Jazz
The T-Wolves got a big boost with the return of Jimmy Butler. KAT is already an elite NBA big man. But boy do the Jazz match up well against them: the Stifle Tower is the rare big man poised to hold KAT in check, and the entire team has come together and played well. The T-Wolves are a fantastic team and they're back in the playoffs after a too-long dry spell. But the Jazz want to show the world their abilities without Gordon Hayward, and with the best defense in the West at their back, I think they may just do it. Utah 4, Minnesota 3

**ronyell** · 04-09-2018, 04:44 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

**bryan3169** · 04-09-2018, 07:18 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

April 14, 2018

Shannon Sharpe on The Cavs losing Game 1 and the LBJ and Lance Stephenson scuffle "I don't know who Lance Stephenson think he is Skip! But he ain't tough Skip! He ain't did nothing but rattle the lion cage and now the lion pissed off now Skip! We know their history, but Lance calls himself tryna get under the King skin. The Cavs collectively shot themselves out of this game! Lance ain't stop the King from going to work, Skip! 25-10-6, look like Lance had a long day on the job. But the Cavs as A TEAM can't go 6-31 from from 3pt land and 36-83 from the field and expect to win the series! But any series with the King in it! I ain't worried not one bit Skip! This was all a smokescreen in my book!"

Skip Bayless on the Pacers taking Game 1 vs. The Cavs "Lance Stephenson did what the Pacers pay him to do, lockdown from the perimeter and irritate LeBron James. 1-8 from behind the 3pt line for LeBron and the Cavs lost. As far as LeBron labeling Lance Stephenson a "thug" he's one to character bash...but if someone mentions him crying like a baby over fouls or flopping like circus clown he calls it "apart of the game!" If Indiana sticks to this gameplan, LeBron will be packing his house and family up early looking for new residence."

Chris Broussard on the young stars OT showcase Philadelphia "Alot of people may be overlooking this matchup simply because the cities aren't cosmetically pleasing as others in the playoffs but a playoff showcase that includes alot of the future of this league. Embiid with a 40 minute 26-16 performance accompanied by Simmons with 18-5-6-3 out of Philly with Greek Freak showing up with a 33-10-6-6 with only two turnovers! Don't let a game winner from Marco Belinelli overshadow this showcase. This series is going to pack some punches!"

Blazer's Head Coach, Terry Stotts on Russell Westbrook "One man made us look foolish, George and Adams showed up for work, but any time one player misses 19 shots alone and the team misses 57 shots, we aren't doing our job on the defensive end and coming up just short on the offensive end. The Thunder is a one man gang and they proved it in Game 1!"

Tom Thibodeau on the defensive letdown against Utah in Game 1 "Let's get this straight, 56% is inexcusable from a team that prides themselves on defense. But it's one game. The younger guys get their playoff jitters out the way, and we got some gameplan tuning to do and we'll get back to what we do in Game 2!"

**ayyitskev** · 04-09-2018, 10:13 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

April 14th, 2018

By: Kevs

Kevs Korner: Let The Playoffs Begin!

My oh my! What an exciting first day of the 2018 NBA Playoffs! An overtime battle, amazing upsets, and a stunning game winner by a superstar! ...Wait, it was Marco Belinelli? Oh well, point is playoff basketball is in full force and it's going to be exciting! Here's a few of my thoughts, welcome to Kevs Korner.

1. Milwaukee vs. Philadelphia is a first-round matchup we don't deserve. We are not worthy, after a classic game one battle in which Philly reigns supreme off of an impossible shot by none other than Marco Belinelli at the buzzer. Joel Embiid outmatched the Bucks' bigs by posting a modest 26-16 line. On paper, Milwaukee is outmatched. There is a reason however they stayed in it so late. See point number two.

2. Philadelphia had 18... 19... 20 turnovers. TWENTY TURNOVERS. Eight of them were from Ben Simmons. Milwaukee really should have won game one. JJ Redick also played a massive 40 minutes with eight points to show for it. I think it's time to allow TJ McConnell to show what he's got before he hits the market. On the flip side, Giannis Antetokounmpo is going to perform well in this series, and he had six steals to go along with his 33 points and 10 rebounds. It's really up to the rest of the team to step up.

3. Cleveland will come back angry. Lance Stephenson may slow down the King, but he won't stop him. After the fourth quarter altercation that saw Stephenson walk away laughing as LeBron lost his cool at the ref, it's clear he's in James' head. Still, LeBron had a good game, going 25-10-6. Kevin Love's shooting will come around as well. And yet,

4. This Pacers team is fun to watch. They've got the talent and defensive tenacity to at the very least make it difficult on Cleveland. Victor Oladipo and Lance Stephenson are a very annoying duo for opponents, and Myles Turner is underrated down low. Now, they took game one. I'm not discounting their ability to potentially make a run. However, as Shannon Sharpe said on First Take this morning, Lance really rattled the lion's cage.

5. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum are such a tease. They both shot 5-20, after Lillard called out the reigning MVP Russell Westbrook on Twitter. Like, if you're gonna do that, show up to the game. Portland still somehow made it close, and I feel that's more of the Thunder not playing at 100% rather than Portland putting on a game. Shoutout to Jusef Nurkic though, who went bananas with 32-14 with six blocks.

6. Speaking of bananas, how does 46 points, 15 rebounds, and eight assists sound, while shooting 50% by Westbrook. I'm just saying, I bet Dame really regrets calling out the Brodie now. Still, this Thunder team has me worried, as nobody scored more than 16 points besides Russ. Carmelo Anthony has me REALLY worried after dropping six points on 2-10 shooting.

7. Minnesota vs. Utah is the most least exciting, yet still exciting matchup one can imagine. On one hand, Minnesota shot 47%. On the other, Utah shot 56%. Like, a team that features Jimmy Butler and a supposedly defensive genius coach in Thibs, one must ask, how? Utah isn't even that great. I believe they need a third star to take them over the top and they have no bench. I said it. Donovan Mitchell is great, and he will show out this series. Rudy Gobert vs. Karl Anthony-Towns is a fun matchup. I expect Minnesota to turn it around and put Utah away.

**ronyell** · 04-10-2018, 08:59 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

**cormag001** · 04-10-2018, 11:02 PM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

April 14th, 2018

By: Stephen A Smith

Stephen A's Thoughts

The Raptors Are Better Than The Cavs

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that LeBron James is undeniably one of the two greatest players to play this game. The things that man has been able to do with a basketball have mesmerized the nation for an ENTIRE DECADE. WHICH, consequentially, has led to one of the most IMPRESSIVE runs we have ever seen in the NBA, with EIGHT STRAIGHT Finals appearances. That's a feat we may never see again in our lifetime.

I do not want to diminish the greatness of LeBron James.

But let me tell you right now, last night confirmed to me something that I have been suspecting for a while now. It's something my eyes have been telling me but my heart has been refusing. It's something that NO ONE with a LICK of basketball knowledge would've thought prior to now.

But let me be the first to let you know.

The Toronto Raptors are a better basketball team than the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Oh yes! You heard me right. They are more TALENTED, they work together as a TEAM, they have scorers all over the floor who can get back and play DEFENSE!

DEFENSE?!?! It's a foreign concept to LeBron James and the Cavaliers! They gave up TWENTY 3 POINTERS to the PACERS! TWENTY!

Meanwhile, tonight I saw DeMar DeRozen absolutely TORCH a notoriously gritty Wizards defense for 35. Oh, and even more importantly, the Raptors dominated. Absolutely dominated.

The Raptors have the edge, the talent, and the toughness to take out King James. Lowry went 5-7 from three, Ibaka contributed when he needed to, HELL, even my man Jakob Poeltl got in on the action!

The Thunder Might Be A Real Problem

Everyone knows how bad Russell Westbrook wants a shot at his former teammate in the playoffs. Especially with Curry perhaps sidelines, Westbrook has to feel as if it's his destiny to knock out KD. And I'll tell you one thing -- despite how good my boys Damien and CJ have been, there is no one stopping Russell Westbrook in the matchup before the Warriors. No one. Now that he has weapons around him he's going to mow down whoever he faces prior to squaring off with KD.... I promise you that.

Kevin Durant is a Fake Superstar

Speaking of the Warriors .... we in the media are giving Kevin Durant FAR too much credit. The man has shown time and time again that he does not have the mental toughness to take a team deep into the playoffs. 9-21 from the field. 2-10 from 3. If the Warriors aren't careful..... they might not get to see the return of Curry.

Last But Not Least: The NBA is Back

Remember two years ago when the NBA thought it had a parity problem? Remember when the fans were crying out to the heavens, saying "it's too easy for the best teams", "there's no competition", "might as well wait to the Finals". Remember those days?

This first round symbolizes the death of that argument in the NBA. By the time these playoffs are over, I am CONFIDENT that the landscape of everything we know will be different. So again, let me be the first to tell you....

The NBA is back.

**bryan3169** · 04-11-2018, 12:22 AM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

April 14th, 2018

Reporter: "Kawhi, first off congratulations on the return, 2nd game back and it's your biggest performance so far, coming against the team that you suffered your injury against last summer in the playoffs. How did it feel to perform in that atmosphere tonight?"

KL: "2nd game back, can't say I feel the best, I got a long way to go to be back to 100% its definitely a slow and grueling process to even get to this point. It's things I could have done better, but it's all about the team and organization and about the W we got tonight. On to Game 2."

Reporter: "Did you feel a sense of panic on the bench seeing a 17 point lead slowly diminish throughout the 3rd quarter?"

KL: "It's Golden State, they are a lights out shooting team, the game of basketball is a game of runs, they happen, some go longer than others. Just because they are short one scorer and you have a lead, doesn't mean you lose a sense of urgency when you are playing with a lead against this team and a few guys did tonight and it was the difference tonight in the win margin in my opinion."

Reporter: "Kawhi, it's no secret that individuals have questioned your commitment to returning to the game of basketball and long term commitment to the Spurs organization. Has tonight's performance eased the tension in the locker room?"

KL: "Look here, nobody knows my body better than me. No doctor, teammate, front office personnel, coach, trainer, media outlet, can tell me what feels right for me. First the ankle injury, then the quad injury. Had I come back early and re-injured myself, then it would have been, oh Kawhi is washed up, Kawhi is injury prone. Since I took my time, now it's oh Kawhi doesn't wanna play any more. I got more to prove now more than ever because of all the tough talk and speculation, I'm here to win basketball games, not deal with locker room chatter. Not even in my own locker room."

The Spurs PR representative walks to the stage and closes the presser abruptly, leading Kawhi away from the stage and the media.

**ronyell** · 04-11-2018, 03:09 AM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

**bryan3169** · 04-11-2018, 04:35 AM

Re: SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

April 15th, 2018

Ben Simmons on near triple double tonight against Milwaukee in Game 2: "We played as a team tonight, y'all wouldn't be standing here talking to me about a near triple double if it wasn't for us playing as a complete team tonight...winning the offensive rebound battle, what was it? 20 to 8 and limiting turnovers won us this game. Joel and JJ cooked from the floor tonight, and Dario played well and us getting Giannis in foul trouble early. We continue to play unselfishly we can keep walking away with victories."

Myles Turner on the media overhyping James vs. Stephenson: "Man I thought this series was about Pacers vs. Cavs but ya'll making it about LeBron vs. Lance. We know they've had a few interactions on the court, but damn man, this ain't WWE bro, this the NBA playoffs, not Wrestlemania! They shot poorly last game, we did this game plan and simple. LeBron went to work and he outworked us. KLove and the rest of the band showed up for work and they got past us. It's Pacers vs. Cavs! Remember that, what happened tonight won't happen in Game 3!"

Damien Lillard on Terry Stotts "maximum effort" comments: "I'd be trippin' if I said coach wasn't speaking facts. Ain't enough urgency in this locker room. It's win or go home. Quite frankly, I'm tired of going home. Lack of help defense, 19 first quarter points from number 0 ends with a triple double, just lack of mental toughness on our part tonight, lazy shot selection, hell me and CJ the only guys who scored over 15 tonight. I back Coach up 1000% on the maximum effort comment."

Fox Sports Analyst, Nick Wright on the Utah Jazz winning vs. the Wolves: "People are surprised that the Utah Jazz are handling the star laden Timberwolves? Why? One the Jazz have consistently kept themselves relevant in today's NBA, where the small market team is constantly turned out year after year. Not the Utah Jazz. Hitting on just about every draft pick since the end of the Jerry Sloan era other than Dante Exum, smart trading, and a good system this team has stayed a consistent fix in the playoff picture in the tough Western conference. And the second reason is TWolves Head Coach Tom Thibodeau. The tread on this TWolves team is wearing down, and we all have pretty much dubbed Thibs the Star Killer, Jimmy Butler was his latest victim to a meniscus tear, while Butler has returned the jury is still out on his performances these last few games. Utah looks like they have clear control as of right now."

Chris Broussard on rumor out of Charlotte: "Hornets owner, Michael Jordan is looking to clean out his team, word is the whole staff is up for the chopping block including Head Coach Steve Clifford, GM Rich Cho is as good as gone, Jordan is in the process of getting in contact with former Lakers GM, Mitch Kupchak and a few other names popped up, one of interest is former Cavs GM Danny Ferry and former Pistons GM and rival, Joe Dumars. As far as head coaching candidates, I've heard, the number one name I've heard mentioned in a few circles is National Championship winning coach, Villanova's Jay Wright. We will see what comes up in the upcoming days out of Charlotte."

SimWorld NBA: The Chronicle

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