April 29th, 2016
NBA Announces ROY, Most Improved Player & DPOY
NBA Announces ROY, Most Improved Player & DPOY
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April 29th, 2016
The Case For... C.J. McCollum
The NBA announced three awards earlier today (ROY, Most Improved, and DPOY), and, quite frankly, I'm baffled by one. The NBA named Minnesota second-year man Andrew Wiggins as the Most Improved, as 2014's first overall pick scored 20.8 points per game and added nearly 9 rebounds a game to his total. Very impressive numbers for a sophomore on a non-playoff team.
But there's more to the story than the year's stats. In his rookie season, Wiggins scored a very respectable 16.7 points per game and grabbed 4.6 rebounds per game, quite respectable numbers for a rookie on the league's worst team (Minnesota's ensuing first round pick, Karl Anthony Towns, won Rookie of the Year). But the jump from that season to this is minuscule compared to the candidate who looked to be the favorite for this award. Wiggins' PPG and RPG both improved by 4.1; solid improvement on a good start for his PPG totals, and very nice improvement on his RPG totals.
And then there's C.J. McCollum. The two-guard, the two-option, really, in Portland's guard-heavy attack that features two scoring guards drafted in the lottery out of relatively small schools. Damian Lillard, at point guard, is the team's star and has taken both touches and position away from McCollum, who left Lehigh as a point guard. Lillard is unquestionably a star, but this year McCollum blossomed into a more-than-solid second option. And he didn't build on the Rookie of the Year foundation that Andrew Wiggins did.
The numbers improvement from McCollum is even more impressing. In his second season, 2014-15, he played 62 games, 15.7 minutes per game, and scored 6.8 points per game and added an assist per game on average. After a small-scale breakout during Portland's first round exit in the playoffs, McCollum returned this year with a vengeance. McCollum boosted both his games played and minutes per game, starting alongside Lillard in the back court. He averaged just below 6 assists per game, and, more noticeably, improved his points per game by a staggering 13 points to 19.8 PPG. The Trail Blazers made the playoffs. The Timberwolves did not.
McCollum released a statement earlier, congratulating Wiggins on the award:
"I want to congratulate Andrew on winning the Most Improved Player award. It's a pleasure to play against him and I look forward to doing so for a long time. There's only one title I'll settle for, and it's that of World Champion. Go Trail Blazers!"
Stay classy, C.J. It might not win you any awards, but it definitely goes a long way towards winning a title. You deserve both (eventually, when the Warriors stop being so damn good; but that's neither here nor there).Comment
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April 30th, 2016
Sources say that both Kevin Durant & Russell Westbrook are very interested in playing together with another team.
Charles Barkley places a $2,000,000 bet on the Detroit Pistons beating the Toronto Raptors in round 2.
Doc Rivers said that he may implore a "small ball" line-up against the Spurs. The Clippers have made mid-season moves to acquire guards Devin Harris & C.J. Miles for this purpose said Rivers.
A Rockets insider says that the Harden/Howard incident has been a season long issue. "It stems from Howard not wanting to be a high-screen & roll center".
League executives say Sacramento owner Vivek Ranadive is looking to move the Kings to Seattle.
Bulls willing to shake up their roster after 1st round loss to Miami. Sources say only Jimmy Butler is “untouchable”.
Houston to start Josh Smith at PF against Golden State. Want to be able to stay with shooters .Last edited by ronyell; 02-18-2016, 11:11 AM.Comment
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May 1st, 2016
NBA Announces All-NBA, All-Defensive & All-Rookie Teams
All-NBA, All-Defensive & All-Rookie Teams Award Player Pos Team All-NBA 1st Team All-NBA 1st Team Russell Westbrook G Oklahoma City Thunder Stephen Curry G Golden State Warriors Kevin Durant F Oklahoma City Thunder LeBron James F Cleveland Cavaliers DeMarcus Cousins C Sacramento Kings All-NBA 2nd Team All-NBA 2nd Team Damian Lillard G Portland Trail Blazers DeMar DeRozan G Toronto Raptors Paul George F Indiana Pacers Anthony Davis F New Orleans Pelicans Andre Drummond C Detroit Pistons All-NBA 3rd Team All-NBA 3rd Team Rajon Rondo G Sacramento Kings James Harden G Houston Rockets Gordon Hayward F Utah Jazz Draymond Green F Golden State Warriors Pau Gasol C Chicago Bulls All-Defensive 1st Team All-Defensive 1st Team Nicolas Batum G Charlotte Hornets Jimmy Butler G Chicago Bulls Paul George F Indiana Pacers Anthony Davis F New Orleans Pelicans DeAndre Jordan C Los Angeles Clippers All-Defensive 2nd Team All-Defensive 2nd Team Rajon Rondo G Sacramento Kings Klay Thompson G Golden State Warriors Kawhi Leonard F San Antonio Spurs Draymond Green F Golden State Warriors Andre Drummond C Detroit Pistons All-Rookie 1st Team All-Rookie 1st Team D'Angelo Russell G Los Angeles Lakers Emmanuel Mudiay G Denver Nuggets Kristaps Porzingis F New York Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns F Minnesota Timberwolves Jahlil Okafor C Philadelphia 76ers All-Rookie 2nd Team All-Rookie 2nd Team Devin Booker G Phoenix Suns Rondae Hollis-Jefferson F Brooklyn Nets Justise Winslow F Miami Heat Stanley Johnson F Detroit Pistons FFrank Kaminski C Charlotte Hornets
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May 1st, 2016
Dwight, It's Finally Time To Take One For the Team
"A Rockets insider says that the Harden/Howard incident has been a season long issue. 'It stems from Howard not wanting to be a high-screen & roll center.' "
Dwight Howard is one of the league's more polarizing figures of the last decade or so. Everyone knows about the Orlando saga, where franchise player Howard demanded that head coach Stan Van Gundy be fired, while making almost incessant trade demands. Everyone knows about the embarrasing season with the Lakers, where the star-studded squad was knocked out in round 1 and with whom Howard played far below his career level.
And now everyone knows about Howard once again putting himself above the team and above a winning mentality.
Dwight Howard is a freak of nature. He was drafted first overall in 2004... out of high school. He's a five-time NBA rebound leader, 2008 Slam Dunk Contest champion, and winner of the Defensive Player of the year three straight years (2009–11). He's led the Orlando Magic to the best seasons in their history, including an NBA Finals appearance. But throw it all out the window if he doesn't want to run a pick-and-roll.
The thing is, he's good at the pick and roll. Very good. And his running mate is even better. James Harden scores more frequently on the pick and roll (45.9%) than he does when running an isolation (42.1%). He also scores more points per possession on the pick and roll (0.99) than he does in an iso (0.94). Harden is a player you want scoring more, to say the least. As for Howard? The pick and roll enhances his offensive efficiency immensely. The chart below illustrates his current play usage and scoring frequency rates:
It's clear that Dwight likes posting up... but it's also quite clear that he's 20% more efficient on 'cut' plays... such as pick and rolls. Pick and rolls also provide more opportunities for put backs... where Dwight is 10% more efficient than on post ups. Howard averaged 13.5 points per game. Imagine what that number would be—and imagine what Harden's PPG would be—and how it would affect the Rockets' overall points per game.
The constantly-used pick-and-roll combination of Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond (Jackson ran the pick and roll 57.3% of his possessions, compared to running an iso 12.4% of possessions) worked wonders for Detroit, sending them to the 5th seed in the East after a 12th place finish last season. James Harden is a far better scorer than Reggie Jackson; Dwight Howard is more gifted than Drummond offensively. But it's how you use that gift, and right now, Howard and the Rockets aren't using it enough. Let's see a little less of this, and a little more of this.
Dwight, you're 6'11, 265. It's more than time to take a few for the team.Comment
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May 1st, 2016
Washington Wizards F Jared Dudley is the 35th recipient of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award,
given to celebrate the winner's "outstanding service and dedication to the community."
Awarded since the end of '74-'75 season, only one man has given so much to have this award
bestowed on him twice: Dikembe Mutombo.
SimWorld - #SimWorldDwellertwitch: twitch.tv/simworldgaming --- youtube: simworldtv --- instagram: @simworld4k ----- twitter: @TheEmanHTX ----- @simworld4k
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May 2nd, 2016
SimWorld - #SimWorldDwellertwitch: twitch.tv/simworldgaming --- youtube: simworldtv --- instagram: @simworld4k ----- twitter: @TheEmanHTX ----- @simworld4k
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May 3rd, 2016
After the announcement of Steve Kerr as Coach of the Year, the Golden State Warriors are planning a BIG fan/team celebration after the season regardless of how the Dubs do in the playoffs.
LA Clippers CEO Steve Ballmer is said to be freaking out and flailing about with the team down 2-0; however that’s just a guess because he looks the same when the team is winning.
After news broke on Dwight’s comments regarding pick and rolls, Rawlings took to twitter and jokingly invited the big man to suit up with their arm and chest protectors. Not a bad idea actually.
Nick Young has been very depressed since being traded to Philly this past February. People close to him say it’s so bad, he’s only bought 5 diamond bracelets since the move.
Don’t be surprised when Hassan Whiteside asks to restructure his contract this offseason. Miami might have to fork over some significant dough.
Did we just see Markieff Morris paling around with Raven-Symone and her partner in LA? Maybe.
Check this out. Metta World Peace has just signed a deal for a semi-recurring role on the hit CBS show “Criminal Minds.”Last edited by TheEmanHTX; 02-18-2016, 06:17 PM.SimWorld - #SimWorldDwellertwitch: twitch.tv/simworldgaming --- youtube: simworldtv --- instagram: @simworld4k ----- twitter: @TheEmanHTX ----- @simworld4k
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May 5th, 2016
The Big Blake Escape
by Brian Windhorst
There have been rumors swirling recently implying that Blake Griffin will not be in a Clippers uniform next season. Just after the incident involving Blake Griffin & one of the Clippers trainers; we saw a much different Blake Griffin. Sources close to the team say that Blake has been distant and distrusting. These two observations have been echoed on the court as well.
Since Griffin's return from injury he has averaged only 21 ppg (was averaging 25.3 ppg) & 2.2 apg (4.7 apg prior). Griffin's ostracism has been even more prevalent in the playoffs where looks to be in another world at times. The Clippers won their round 1 series against the Thunder through extremely inconsistent play from Blake Griffin as well as media attacks and public "call outs' by the coaching staff. Now they are here fighting for their future, down 2-1 against the Spurs in the 2nd round.
In a cryptic tweet from the early am (February 28th) Griffin says "I never thought LA would be forever but LA is home. #support". What exactly did that mean? News first broke in early February that the Clippers were willing to field offers for Griffin in the event Griffin decided to walk this summer. Shortly after that was "the incident" & in the months to follow, we've seen "this Blake".
It has also been mentioned many times this year that this season is a win-or-bust season for the Clippers... this could be the last time that we see this core of Griffin, Paul & Jordan. So after sliding by the Thunder in round 1; if the Clippers are eliminated by a favorited San Antonio Spurs team, what could come of it?
One thing is for certain, when Blake is engaged he has made a huge impact. When he has not been; the Clippers have lost. Griffin could perhaps be choosing his own fate in this post-season. We have a minimum of 2 more games and entire summer to see this thing play out.Last edited by ronyell; 02-19-2016, 06:55 PM.Comment
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