NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

That was everything you could want in a Game 7. The Pelicans held a nine point 3rd quarter lead but the Spurs cut it down and kept things close until they took a late lead thanks to the stellar play of Tim Duncan (27 points, 11 rebounds) and surprisingly, Andre Iguodala (25 points, 10 assists). Brandon Roy (31 points, 5 assists) and Mike Conley (21 points, 9 assists) hit big baskets to keep them alive. Down with seconds left, Conley drained a three to cut it to one. The Spurs made a rare mistake on the inbound and it was stolen with 2.4 left. Conley found Chris Bosh (13 points) for a layup but it came after the buzzer, preserving a 112-111 win for San Antonio.

[studbucket]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

Great final shot showing the Bosh layup was too late. What a game.

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

NBA Finals Preview

(6) 51-31 San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) 48-34 Atlanta Hawks

It’s not often that you see a #5 and #6 seed in the Finals but that goes to show the parity in this league right now. Despite their seeding, both teams have championship DNA, everything you could need in a winner, and have won in recent memory. It’s also important to note that this is a rematch of the 2012 NBA Finals, which the Hawks won in six games. Matchup-wise, things will be interesting as some Spurs are likely too slow to cover their Hawks counterparts so coaching will play a big part. It’ll be a close series but it’s hard to bet against the ageless Tim Duncan.

Prediction: Spurs in 7

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

NBA Finals
(6) San Antonio Spurs 3 vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks 3
Game 1: ATL 106 @ SAS 128 – T. Parker (26 points, 8 assists)
Game 2: ATL 113 @ SAS 132 – J. Ingles (26 points, 7 assists)
Game 3: SAS 103 @ ATL 105 – P. Millsap (22 points, 10 rebounds)
Game 4: SAS 115 @ ATL 110 – T. Duncan (23 points, 8 assists)
Game 5: ATL 111 @ SAS 109 – C. Anthony (36 points, 10 rebounds)
Game 6: SAS 107 @ ATL 111 – C. Anthony (32 points, 9 rebounds)

Game 7 (Series Tied 3-3)
(5) Atlanta Hawks @ (6) San Antonio Spurs

Hawks (Finals Stats)
Raymond Felton (13.3ppg, 6.0apg, 1.5spg, 44FG%, 40 3PT%)
Jamal Crawford (12.0ppg, 3.0rpg, 6.5apg, 1.5spg, 34FG%, 27 3PT%)
Carmelo Anthony (23.5ppg, 7.0rpg, 6.6apg, 1.0spg, 503FG%, 45 3PT%)
Paul Millsap (16.3ppg, 10.3rpg, 52FG%, 26 3PT%)
Joakim Noah (6.1ppg, 11.3rpg, 4.0apg, 1.8bpg, 34FG%)
6th Man: Isaiah Thomas (9.1ppg, 3.6apg, 33FG%, 23 3PT%)

Spurs
Tony Parker (23.6ppg, 3.6rpg, 9.5apg, 1.0spg, 51FG%, 50 3PT%)
Andre Iguodala (6.3ppg, 3.0rpg, 5.0apg, 1.1spg, 33FG%, 18 3PT%)
Joe Ingles (15.8ppg, 4.0rpg, 6.0apg, 56FG%, 64 3PT%)
Tim Duncan (20.1ppg, 9.6rpg, 5.3apg, 2.0bpg, 56FG%)
Spencer Hawes (11.3ppg, 8.0rpg, 1.1bpg, 50FG%)
6th Man: Mike Miller (9.3ppg, 3.1rpg, 4.1apg, 37FG%, 36 3PT%)

[studbucket]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

Joe Ingles and Andre Iguodala are such good fits with those Spurs teams. Wow. That's amazing they ended up there.

Wild the Hawks are so good as guys like Felton, Crawford, and Anthony are historically "not winning players" who put up stats but don't make their teammates better.

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

After nearly a decade since winning back-to-back titles, the Spurs have climbed back to the top of the NBA. In their most balanced effort ever, San Antonio beat Atlanta 115-108 in Game 7. Tim Duncan (15 points, 14 rebounds) battled foul trouble all night, so he got help from everywhere as 8 Spurs scored in double figures, led by Tony Parker (17 points, 9 assists), Andre Iguodala (15 points, 7 assists), and Joe Ingles (15 points, 6 assists). Carmelo Anthony was unstoppable (38 points, 11 rebounds) and Paul Millsap contributed (19 points, 10 rebounds) but they just didn’t have enough dept to keep up.

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

2014 NBA Offseason
Retirements
• Jason Kidd (9.9ppg, 8.5apg)
• Allen Iverson (8.5ppg)
• Stephon Marbury (10.2ppg)
• Richard Hamilton (7.3ppg)
• Chauncey Billups (9.6ppg)
• Wally Szczerbiak (10.5ppg)
• Baron Davis (7.8ppg)
• Stephen Jackson (4.0ppg)
• Stromile Swift (8.8ppg)
• Ron Artest (1.8ppg)
• Joe Johnson (5.7ppg)
• Larry Hughes (0.0ppg)

Other Offseason Notes
• Jason Kidd (14.5ppg, 5.0rpg, 9.6apg, 1.9spg, 2 Titles, Finals MVP, 22,373 points, 14,712 assists, 2,922 steals, 1,568 3PTM) and Allen Iverson (20.2ppg, 3.9rpg, 7.1apg, 1.9spg, MVP, 1 Title, 27,816 points, 9.766 assists, 2,612 steals) were inducted into the Hall of Fame.
• Jason Kidd and Allen Iverson had their jerseys retired by the Nets and 76ers, respectively.
• The Charlotte Bobcats are changing their name to the Charlotte Hornets. And in quick fashion, Las Vegas has acquired the naming rights, so the Venom will now be the Bobcats going forward.
• The Rising Stars Game will be USA vs. the World from now on.
• The 2015 All-Star Game will be held in Cleveland.
• The Warriors and Kings will have new jerseys this year.

NBA Draft Lottery Odds
1. Trail Blazers (2nd straight year at the top, picked 3rd last year)
2. Grizzlies
3. Rockets (via CHA)
4. Thunder
5. Timberwolves
6. Bobcats
7. Grizzlies (via UTA)
8. Heat
9. Magic
10. Rockets
11. Pacers
12. Heat (via CLE)
13. Bucks
14. Raptors
15. Mavericks
16. Clippers

NBA Draft Lottery
16. Clippers
15. Mavericks
14. Raptors
13. Bucks
12. Heat (via CLE)
11. Pacers
10. Rockets
9. Magic
8. Heat
7. Grizzlies (via UTA)
6. Bobcats
5. Timberwolves
4. Grizzlies
3. Thunder
2. Trail Blazers
1. Rockets (via CHA)

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

2014 NBA Draft
1. Rockets – C – Joel Embiid
2. Trail Blazers – PF/SF – Aaron Gordon
3. Thunder – SG/SF – Zach LaVine
4. Grizzlies – C – Nikola Jokic
5. Timberwolves – SF – Andrew Wiggins
6. Bobcats – PG – Dante Exum
7. Celtics (acquired from Memphis) – SG/PG – Marcus Smart
8. Heat – SF/PF – Jabari Parker
9. Magic – SF – Torrey Craig
10. Rockets – PF/C – Noah Vonleh
11. Pacers – SG – Rodney Hood
12. Heat – C/PF – Maxi Kleber
13. Bucks – SG/PG – Jordan Clarkson
14. Raptors – PG – Tyler Ennis
15. Kings (acquired from Dallas) – SF/SG – Bogdan Bogdanovic
16. Clippers – PF/C – Dario Saric
17. Nets – PG – Elfrid Payton
18. Celtics – PF/C – Julius Randle
19. Bulls – SG – James Young
20. 76ers – SF – TJ Warren
21. Jazz (acquired from Hawks) – PG – Shabazz Napier
22. Warriors – SF/PF – Jerami Grant
23. Kings – PF – Adreian Payne
24. Pistons – C – Clint Capela
25. Nuggets – SG – Gary Harris
26. Wizards – C – Jusuf Nurkic
27. Pacers (acquired from Seattle) – PF/C – Dwight Powell
28. Knicks – SF – Doug McDermott
29. Lakers – SF/PF – Kyle Anderson
30. Suns – SG/SF – Nik Stauskas
31. Pelicans – PG – Spencer Dinwiddie
32. Timberwolves – SF/SG – Joe Harris

Notable 2nd Round Picks
• Thanasis Antetokounmpo - #34 to Utah
• Glenn Robinson III - #42 to Seattle
• Jordan McRae - #47 to New Jersey
• Jordan Adams - #48 to Boston
• Bruno Caboclo - #49 to Las Vegas
• Mitch McGray - #52 to Philadelphia
• CJ Wilcox - #57 to Detroit

Trades
*The Rockets traded Eddy Curry to the Warriors for Jermaine O’Neal and a 2015 2nd round pick.
*Memphis dealt the 7th pick to Boston in exchange for Darren Collison and a 2016 2nd round pick.
*The Mavericks sent the 15th pick to Sacramento for Marco Belinelli.
*Atlanta traded the 21st pick and a 2018 2nd round pick to Utah for Kevin Martin and Luther Head.
*Looking to shake things up, Seattle dealt Josh Smith and the 27th pick to Indiana for Corey Brewer and the 42nd pick.

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

2014 NBA Free Agency/Trade News
• The King is coming home. LeBron James signed with his hometown Cavaliers (4yrs/$103.16M) to team up with Dwyane Wade. They also gave Aaron Brooks (2yr/$1.92M) and Emeka Okafor (2yr/$1.92M) deals.
• Stephen Curry (5yr/$113.27M) and Rudy Gay (5r/$85.96M) both re-upped with Washington. The team also signed veteran Kirk Hinrich (3yr/$8.22M) but haven’t found a trade partner for Greivis Vasquez.
• Three-time NBA Champion Tony Parker has re-signed with the Spurs (4yrs/$83.55M).
• Dwight Howard remained in Indiana (4yr/$94.39M) and the team added Charlie Villanueva (3yr/$44.15M), as well as Kendrick Perkins (2yr/$3.69M).
• Despite back-to-back Playoff disappointments, New York is keeping their core together, extending James Harden (5yr/$104.98M) and Jeff Teague (4yr/$42.07M).
• Blake Griffin (4yrs/$76.65M) inked an extension with the Lakers.
• The Nets are not looking to rebuild, making some major signings. First, they added DeMar DeRozan (4yr/$70.65M), and then they found their replacement for Jason Kidd, inking Ricky Rubio (4yr/$59.34M). Richard Jefferson also remained with the team (3yr/$19.94M) and they added Ersan Ilyasova (2yr/$13.14M).
• Chris Bosh remained in New Orleans with a 5yr/$116.79M extension. The team also added Vince Carter (2yr/$36.35M), Tiago Splitter (2yr/$4.82M) and David West (2yr/$1.92M).
• Gilbert Arenas has played for five teams and never found a consistent home, so he returns where it began, signing with the Warriors (4yr/$95.16M). Veteran guard Jason Richardson will remain with the Warriors (3yr/$24.43M). They also added Kent Bazemore (3yr/$8.32M), Luol Deng (1yr/$1.38M), and Mario Chalmers (2yr/$4.14M).
• The Clippers may have lost a key piece in DeRozan but they signed Lou Williams (4yr/$61.70M) to soften the blow. They also added veteran forward Shawn Marion (2yr/$25.13M).
• Brandon Jennings has the starting job he has coveted, signing with the Heat (3yr/$30.05M).
• The Kings added Mo Williams (3yr/$32.48M) but will keep Mike Bibby (2yr/$11.29M) as a sixth man. Peja Stojakovic (1yr/$3.29M) is also returning home while the bench will be boosted by Jordan Crawford (2yr/$3.57M).
• On the subject of people returning home, Travis Ball signed with Utah (3yr/$34.74M). The bigger news though was the team signing Tyreke Evans (3yr/$46.75M).
• Seattle signed Al Horford (4yr/$61.12M) and JJ Redick (4yr/$44.62M) to extensions.
• After finding a home in Detroit, David Lee re-signed with the team (4yrs/$58.96M).
• Dallas traded Beno Udrih and two 2nd round picks to Memphis for Darren Collison. Collison was just acquired by Memphis but they wanted to stick with Schroder as their floor general.
• The Suns added NBA Champion Joe Ingles (3yr/$22.74M).
• Milwaukee signed Michael Redd to an extension (2yr/$14.92M).
• Denver kept Jason Terry (2yr/$3.12M) and added Josh Howard (2yr/$2.92M). They then traded unhappy Ben Gordon to Golden State for Mike Muscala and a 2017 2nd round pick.
• Dealing with the loss of Lou Williams, the Bulls signed Will Barton (2yr/$9.80M) and added a few bench pieces.
• The 76ers shored up the bench by signing Daniel Gibson (2yr/$3.38M).
• Las Vegas extended Hasheem Thabeet (3yrs/$44.29M).

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

2014-2015 NBA Season Preview

Philadelphia 76ers (48-34)
Our projected record came true for Philly and they made some noise in the Playoffs before bowing out. The combination of Leonard and Wall is proving formidable, while Gasol was the veteran presence they needed. There’s a quality mix of youth and vets and the addition of Bobbie Gibson gives them more firepower off the bench.

Projected Record: 51-31
Projected Starters: John Wall/Eric Gordon/Kawhi Leonard/Pau Gasol/Enes Freedom

Las Vegas Bobcats (22-60)
Quickly snatching up the Bobcats name, Las Vegas was an improved expansion team in year two. They have the Rookie of the Year in Oladipo, potential defensive stoppers in Kidd-Gilchrist and Thabeet, and added Dante Exum through the draft. They still won’t win a ton but they’re moving u.

Projected Record: 19-63
Projected Starters: DJ Augustin/Victor Oladipo/Chandler Parsons/Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/Hashem Thabeet

Milwaukee Bucks (41-41)
Milwaukee is having a hard time getting past the glass ceiling. They can’t seem to break through past the .500 barrier despite having Lowry, Cousins, and Redd (who is seemingly ageless). Now they’ve lost Tyreke Evans and replaced him with rookie Jordan Clarkson. It doesn’t seem like a positive move so things could get dicey in Milwaukee.

Projected Record: 38-44
Projected Starters: Kyle Lowry/Jordan Clarkson/Michael Redd/Ryan Anderson/DeMarcus Cousins

Chicago Bulls (47-35)
One of the biggest surprises last season was the Bullets, who improved by 15 games and made the Playoffs. However, they’ll have trouble repeating that as Lou Williams departed and they added unproven Will Barton to replace him. There is a chance this could be addition by subtraction though as not having Lou around to hoist up shots could open things up for the long-awaited Paul George breakout. They’re gonna need it.

Projected Record: 41-41
Projected Starters: Damian Lillard/Will Barton/Paul George/Serge Ibaka/Nikola Vucevic

Cleveland Cavaliers (44-38)
The King is home. More than a decade after arriving in the NBA, LeBron James has signed with his hometown team and now joins Dwyane Wade to form the league’s most potent duo. Combining that with Holiday and Drummond’s defensive prowess and Lewis’ shooting sounds vicious. They do need more shooting off the bench and if they can add that, watch out.

Projected Record: 59-23
Projected Starters: Jrue Holiday/Dwyane Wade/LeBron James/Rashard Lewis/Andre Drummond

Boston Celtics (46-36)
Another correct projected record prediction came with Boston, who took a step back without Iguodala. So, they’re trying to go back to what worked, drafting defensive stalwart Marcus Smart to start alongside Derrick Rose. They’ll be small but tenacious. The big questions surround Pierce and Brand’s ages though. If Brand falters, their drafting of Julius Randle could be huge.

Projected Record: 48-34
Projected Starters: Derrick Rose/Marcus Smart/Paul Pierce/Elton Brand/Chris Kaman

Los Angeles Clippers (48-34)
The Clippers just keep getting better, yet keep missing the Playoffs in the loaded West. Unfortunately, they trend will have a tough time continuing given the departure of DeRozan. Lou Williams was a great signing, though he and Walker are the smallest backcourt in the league. It’s hard to see a step forward for this squad.

Projected Record: 40-42
Projected Starters: Kemba Walker/Lou Williams/Shawn Marion/Nicolas Batum/JaVale McGee

Memphis Grizzlies (17-65)
Memphis bottomed out to an abysmal 17 wins and only landed the #4 pick. That said, picking Nikola Jokic could end up as the steal of the draft given he was the #1 prospect according to some scouts. Schroder looked good once he got the starting spot and Mirotic was really good after the trade so there’s hope in Memphis but this will be another long season.

Projected Record: 25-57
Projected Starters: Dennis Schroder/Khris Middleton/Evan Turner/Nikola Mirotic/Nikola Jokic

Atlanta Hawks (48-34)
It looked like it would be a disappointing season in Atlanta but then they acquired Millsap and made a run to the Finals where they just fell short. They now have the forward for an entire season and have a strong second unit led by Isaiah Thomas, Markieff Morris, and Kevin Martin. They’re a threat to win it all again.

Projected Record: 56-26
Projected Starters: Raymond Felton/Jamal Crawford/Carmelo Anthony/Paul Millsap/Joakim Noah

Miami Heat (27-55)
The Heat didn’t make the jump many were expecting, Gobert was a massive disappointment as a rookie, and they ended up losing Rubio in free agency. Alas, there are reinforcements in Brandon Jennings and lottery pick Jabari Parker. If they can mesh, they can be in the bottom of the East Playoff picture though it’s more likely they’re on the outside looking in.

Projected Record: 37-45
Projected Starters: Brandon Jennings/Lance Stephenson/Jabari Parker/Anthony Davis/Rudy Gobert

Charlotte Hornets (19-63)
It was yet another sub-20 win season for a franchise that is dangerously close to becoming a laughing stock. To make matters worse, they landed the #1 pick but could only watch as a previous trade saw it go to Houston. Honestly, this roster is in contention for one of the worst in league history so the first season of the new Hornets will be a bad one.

Projected Record: 13-69
Projected Starters: Shaun Livingston/Dion Waiters/DeMarre Carroll/Paul Millsap/Roy Hibbert

Utah Jazz (22-60)
Things fell apart in Utah last year. Instead of fighting for the Playoffs, they were one of the league’s worst teams and dealt away Arenas. Many thought Bargnani was next but he stuck around and by signing Tyreke Evans and Travis Ball, maybe they hope they don’t have to rebuild. It doesn’t look good though. That said, watch out for a big year by CJ McCollum

Projected Record: 28-54
Projected Starters: Travis Ball/CJ McCollum/Tyreke Evans/Kenneth Faried/Andrea Bargnani

Sacramento Kings (50-32)
The oldest team in the league made some interesting moves. They got younger with Jordan Crawford and rookie Bogdan Bogdanovic but also signed Mo Williams and Peja Stojakovic. So it’s hard to tell where they’re going. The West remains loaded and are more athletic but it feels like playing with fire to bet against Kobe.

Projected Record: 48-34
Projected Starters: Mo Williams/Kobe Bryant/Bogdan Bogdanovic/Kevin Garnett/Yao Ming

New York Knicks (54-28)
A year after blowing a 3-0 lead, the Knicks proceeded to lose to an #8 seed as the #1 seed. So while the regular season has been successful for them, the postseason has been a problem. They mostly return the same team, only really adding rookie Doug McDermott. They should excel in the regular season but if they flop in the playoffs again, this team might be broken up.

Projected Record: 51-31
Projected Starters: Jeff Teague/James Harden/Danilo Gallinari/Carlos Boozer/Anderson Varejao.

Los Angeles Lakers (55-27)
These are the best bunch of Lakers since the Kobe/Shaq days. The KD/BG combo has been lethal but the West is loaded so they’ve fallen short of returning to the Finals while the Spurs, Pelicans, Sonics, and others are just as good, if not better. They aren’t messing with success and returning the same core team, hoping another year of experience for KD and Blake are enough.

Projected Record: 53-29
Projected Starters: Deron Williams/Kyle Korver/Kevin Durant/Blake Griffin/DeAndre Jordan

Orlando Magic (38-44)
For the first time this century, the Magic were on the wrong side of .500. Tracy McGrady only playing 47 games had a lot to do with that but he’s also getting older Add in the loss of Shawn Marion and Orlando kind of looks like a shell of their former selves. Another year out of the Playoffs looks likely unless they make some kind of move during the season.

Projected Record: 36-46
Projected Starters: Rajon Rondo/Tracy McGrady/Al Harrington/Zach Randolph/Marcin Gortat

Dallas Mavericks (46-36)
Dallas rebounded well from a sub-.500 season but the West is so stacked that they still missed the Playoffs. The midseason acquisition for Gilbert Arenas didn’t amount of much and now he’s gone. The arrival of Darren Collison is intriguing as he looks to lead a team for the first team, yet it’s a squad hoping to get back to the top before Dirk calls it a career. It doesn’t look like they’ll contend for a title but they should be a good team.

Projected Record: 43-39
Projected Starters: Darren Collison/Avery Bradley/Caron Butler/Dirk Nowitzki/Tyson Chandler

New Jersey Nets (45-37)
It’s officially a new era in Jersey. Kidd has retired after bringing two titles to the city and Carter has departed as well. However, the Nets didn’t look to rebuild. They spent, adding DeMar DeRozan and Ricky Rubio to replace them. While Jefferson and Kirilenko are getting up there in age but Al Jefferson remains a threat, as do the Nets, at least on paper.

Projected Record: 50-32
Projected Starters: Ricky Rubio/DeMar DeRozan/Richard Jefferson/Andrei Kirilenko/Al Jefferson

Denver Nuggets (52-30)
It feels like the Nuggets are a victim of a tough Western Conference. Every year they put out a quality team but can’t seem to get over the hump. At times, Beasley looked like a great #2 for Gasol. At other times, he vanished. They feel like a team that will again hover around that #6 seed and not really challenge for a title unless they make a significant move.

Projected Record: 46-36
Projected Starters: Jameer Nelson/Jason Terry/Michael Beasley/Marreese Speights/Marc Gasol

Indiana Pacers (40-42)
The biggest question for Indiana this offseason revolved around Dwight Howard and he chose to stick around. That surprised many given the team’s sub-.500 finishes. However, he and the blossoming Dragic form a solid 1-2 punch, they brought in Charlie Villanueva and Josh Smith, and the bench is filled with hungry young stars. They could threaten in the bottom of the East Playoff picture.

Projected Record: 43-39
Projected Starters: Goran Dragic/OJ Mayo/Josh Smith/Charlie Villanueva/Dwight Howard

New Orleans Pelicans (57-25)
The first season officially known as the Pelicans was a success for New Orleans. They came within one game of the NBA Finals and while that was disappointing, they’re on the cusp. This feels like the year, especially with the additions of Vince Carter and Tiago Splitter. Conley is getting better rapidly, Roy is the MVP, and Burks should become a top 6th man. They navigated the loss of Jennings well and are a title contender.

Projected Record: 56-26
Projected Starters: Mike Conley/Brandon Roy/Vince Carter/Chris Bosh/Tiago Splitter

Detroit Pistons (51-31)
Detroit continues to impress, becoming a top team in the East at a time when they should be rebuilding. They’re sticking with the formula, not changing much besides bringing in a rookie to back things up in the middle. They’re taking steps in the right direction, even if they’re moving slowly.

Projected Record: 52-30
Projected Starters: George Hill/Martell Webster/Gordon Hayward/David Lee/Hassan Whiteside

Toronto Raptors (43-39)
It’s kind of difficult to see what’s going on in Toronto. They feel like they’re in one of the worst places for a team to be. Perpetually hovering around .500, meaning they’re not good enough to contend but also not bad enough to build through the draft. They also don’t have a franchise player to build around, so maybe this is the year they trade away pieces and start that rebuild.

Projected Record: 36-46
Projected Starters: Devin Harris/Rodney Stuckey/Corey Maggette/Thaddeus Young/Brook Lopez

Houston Rockets (40-42)
The league’s most improved team jumped from 17 wins to 40 behind Most Improved Player Jimmy Butler and impressive rookie Michael Carter-Williams. Interestingly, they landed the #1 pick because of a trade with Charlotte and got Joel Embiid. They moved Eddy Curry to open up a spot for him and all of a sudden, Houston is an exciting place. A small step back as Embiid grows is expected but the future is bright.

Projected Record: 40-42
Projected Starters: Michael Carter-Williams/Jimmy Butler/Harrison Barnes/Marcus Morris/Joel Embiid

San Antonio Spurs (51-31)
They just won’t go away, will they? The Spurs won their fourth title despite only being a #6 seed. We can talk all day about the age of the stars but they keep defying the odds. That said, losing Joe Ingles will hurt. The team is likely to try Ariza at the 3 and if that doesn’t work, go back to Mike Miller as a starter alongside Iguodala. Expect them to contend again even if Duncan is 38.

Projected Record: 48-34
Projected Starters: Tony Parker/Andre Iguodala/Trevor Ariza/Tim Duncan/Spencer Hawes

Phoenix Suns (55-27)
For the second straight year, Phoenix finished 55-27. And for the second straight year, they have nothing to show for it. The Westbrook/Stoudemire pairing apparently has this season to make a big step forward. If they start slow, Stoudemire is likely to be dealt. Ingles will help but it might be time for a change in Phoenix.

Projected Record: 48-34
Projected Starters: Russell Westbrook/Quentin Richardson/Joe Ingles/Amar’e Stoudemire/Jonas Valanciunas

Seattle Supersonics (53-29)
After running the West in the regular season for a few years, Seattle took a step back. They’re still formidable and they made a key move, swapping Josh Smith for Corey Brewer. They’ll lose defense but Brewer might open up the offense with his speed and slashing ability. Seattle desperately doesn’t want to waste another stellar season from Paul and Love.

Projected Record: 55-27
Projected Starters: Chris Paul/JJ Redick/Corey Brewer/Kevin Love/Al Horford

Oklahoma City Thunder (19-63)
In year two, the Thunder improved by one game. That landed them the #3 pick and Zach LaVine. Combining his potential offense with Ramon Sessions and the defense of Draymond Green sounds like a good nucleus to build around, even if it will be a long ways before they’re legitimate.

Projected Record: 24-58
Projected Starters: Ramon Sessions/Kentavious Caldwell-Pope/Zach LaVine/Draymond Green/Ed Davis

Minnesota Timberwolves (20-62)
The impressive Irving/Thompson duo was supposed to take Minnesota to the next level. They continued to play well but the Wolves lost 17 more games than the previous year. So they went back to the Draft and got Andrew Wiggins. He’s known for offense and not defense, meaning Minnesota should score a lot this year but don’t expect them to stop many people. Still, it should be a better season.

Projected Record: 33-49
Projected Starters: Kyrie Irving/Klay Thompson/Andrew Wiggins/Derrick Favors/Robin Lopez

Portland Trail Blazers (15-67)
Life is hard in Portland in the post-LeBron era. They won 15 games for the second straight year but there’s reason for hope. Beal, Harris, and rookie Aaron Gordon sound like a solid core, while Bledsoe blossomed in his new home. Growing pains will be aplenty but the city has some optimism now.

Projected Record: 21-61
Projected Starters: Eric Bledsoe/Bradley Beal/Tobias Harris/Aaron Gordon/Greg Monroe

Golden State Warriors (50-32)
Losing LeBron James typically should mark a downward spiral for a franchise. Just look at Portland. While that may ring true for the Warriors, they’re doing their best to avoid it. You can’t replace James but acquiring Eddy Curry and Ben Gordon on top of signing Gilbert Arenas gives them pieces to pair with Aldridge. They should remain in the Playoff hunt at least.

Projected Record: 44-38
Projected Starters: Gilbert Arenas/Jason Richardson/Kent Bazemore/LaMarcus Aldridge/Eddy Curry

Washington Wizards (52-30)
Things are only getting better in the nation’s capital. With rookie Antetokounmpo, they made the Conference Finals and inched closer to the Finals. And Giannis is only going to get better. They locked up Curry and Gay while adding the ever important Kirk Hinrich to their bench. They’re still looking for a trade partner for Vasquez, which could be the difference that takes them over the top.

Projected Record: 54-28
Projected Starters: Stephen Curry/Greivis Vasquez/Rudy Gay/Giannis Antetokounmpo/Andrew Bogut

[studbucket]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

It definitely looks like there will be a big clash between the 76ers and Cavs out East with the Wizards trying to crash the party. I am not sure who to expect from the West, which seems to have less top-end superstar-laden teams.

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

10/28/14

(0-0) New York Knicks @ Golden State Warriors

Knicks
Jeff Teague (14.2ppg, 7.3apg, 1.5spg, 45FG%, 37 3PT%, 83FT%)
James Harden (24.0ppg, 3.9rpg, 7.3apg, 1.3spg, 1.0bpg, 51FG%, 39 3PT%, 89FT%)
Danilo Gallinari (14.3ppg, 4.2rpg, 45FG%, 37 3PT%, 97FT%)
Carlos Boozer (15.9ppg, 11.4rpg, 3.1apg, 48FG%, 83FT%)
Anderson Varejao (8.1ppg, 10.5rpg, 1.4spg, 1.1bpg, 59FT%)
6th Man: Danny Green (11.2ppg, 47FG%, 45 3PT%, 78FT%)

Warriors
Gilbert Arenas (19.7ppg, 3.5rpg, 9.2apg, 1.3spg, 51FG%, 43 3PT%, 88FT%)
Jason Richardson (15.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 5.6apg, 1.1spg, 51FG%, 39 3PT%, 80FT%)
Kent Bazemore (8.4ppg, 42FG%, 35 3PT%, 67FT%)
LaMarcus Aldridge (16.8ppg, 7.5rpg, 1.0bpg, 46FG%, 82FT%)
Eddy Curry (18.6ppg, 8.8rpg, 1.8bpg, 57FG%, 72FT%)
6th Man: Ben Gordon (9.5ppg, 43FG%, 38 3PT%, 83FT%)

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

The new look Warriors are going to need some work. At points, they were a well-oiled machine but more often than not, they looked kind of lost. The Knicks struggled to close it out though and missed several late free throws, resulting in a 110-107 win that was a lost closer than it should’ve been. James Harden (30 points, 5 assists) and Jeff Teague (21 points, 7 assists) led the way for New York, while Golden State got solid outings from LaMarcus Aldridge (20 points, 10 rebounds) and Gilbert Arenas (17 points) but both struggled with their shot. Surprisingly, Kent Bazemore (13 points) and Mario Chalmers (16 points) were their two best and most efficient players.

[the_kevstaaa]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

11/12/14

Around the League
• The Spurs have picked up where they left off, starting 8-0 to the league the West. The Sonics (8-1), Suns (5-2), Lakers (5-3), and Nuggets (5-3) follow suit. The Lakers have won 5 straight after an 0-3 start. Meanwhile, Portland won its opener but has lost 7 straight since.
• In the East, Boston leads the way (6-1) followed by Detroit (5-1), Orlando (5-2), Philadelphia (6-3), and Toronto (6-3).
• Scoring Leaders: K. Durant (30.4), K. Walker (28.2), D. DeRozan (27.1), J. Harden (25.7), Z. LaVine (24.1), L. James (24.0), S. Curry/G. Hayward (23.8), D. Rose (23.7), and B. Griffin (23.5).
• Rebounding Leaders: K. Love (17.0), E. Davis (14.0), Z. Randolph/A. Bogut (13.0), M. Gasol (12.4), T. Duncan/D. Howard (12.1), A. Davis (11.9), and P. Millsap/T. Chandler (11.8).
• Assists Leaders: T. Parker (10.9), C. Paul/D. Harris/S. Livingston (10.3), D. Wade (10.1), R. Rondo (10.0), L. James (9.9), G. Arenas (9.8), B. Jennings (9.7), and G. Hill (9.5).
• K. Bazemore leads in steals (3.0) and A. Davis leads in blocks (2.6). M. Webster leads in FG% (61.5), R. McCallum leads in 3PT% (69.2), and several players are tied for the FT% lead (100%).
• LeBron James’ first game as a Cav was a 121-103 win over the Kings and he put up 39 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists.
• 10/31/14 – Atlanta’s Carmelo Anthony (23.7ppg) has severe ankle sprain; out 6-8 weeks.
• 11/4/14 – Portland’s Tobias Harris (10.2ppg) has torn calf muscle; out 8-10 weeks.
• 11/8/14 – Miami’s Anthony Davis (22.7ppg) has sprained knee; out 2-4 weeks.

Players of the Month for October
CLE – LeBron James [1] (30.0ppg, 7.0rpg, 8.0apg, 1.5spg, 1.5bpg, 68FG%)
NOP – Brandon Roy [1] (29.5ppg, 8.0rpg, 6.5apg, 2.0spg, 77FG%)

Rookies of the Month for October
MEM – Nikola Jokic [1] (6.0ppg, 5.5rpg, 7.5apg, 1.0spg, 1.5bpg, 33FG%)
OKC – Zach LaVine [1] (28.0ppg, 1.0spg, 53FG%)

Players of the Week 10/28/14-11/2/14
CLE – LeBron James [1] (28.3ppg, 8.0rpg, 9.0apg, 1.0spg, 1.3bpg)
LAL – Kevin Durant [1] (24.7ppg, 8.0rpg, 6.7apg, 1.0spg, 2.3bpg)

Players of the Week 11/3/14-11/9/14
CLE – Dwyane Wade [1] (19.0ppg, 12.3pg, 2.6spg, 2.0bpg)
DEN – Marc Gasol [1] (26.3ppg, 15.6rpg, 5.0apg, 1.6spg, 1.0bpg)

(3-5; 9th in West) Minnesota Timberwolves @ (5-2; 3rd in East) Orlando Magic
[1-3 on the road; Won 1 straight] [0-1 at home; Won 1 straight]
1st meeting of season

Timberwolves
Kyrie Irving (22.4ppg, 6.5apg, 1.4spg, 57FG%, 50 3PT%, 78FT%)
Klay Thompson (20.9ppg, 3.1apg, 1.4spg, 46FG%, 37 3PT%, 76FT%)
Andrew Wiggins (9.5ppg, 1.4spg, 45FG%, 20 3PT%, 64FT%)
Derrick Favors (12.6ppg, 10.6rpg, 1.3spg, 51FG%, 55FT%)
Robin Lopez (9.0ppg, 4.9rpg, 1.5bpg, 48FG%, 85FT%)
6th Man: Seth Curry (10.4ppg, 43FG%, 40 3PT%, 79FT%)

Magic
Rajon Rondo (18.0ppg, 3.4rpg, 10.0apg, 2.0spg, 50FG%, 37 3PT%, 62FT%)
Tracy McGrady (21.7ppg, 6.1rpg, 7.6apg, 1.1spg, 1.0bpg, 50FG%, 37 3PT%, 92FT%)
Al Harrington (11.1ppg, 6.9rpg, 3.0apg, 1.6spg, 50FG%, 25 3PT%, 75FT%)
Zach Randolph (13.4ppg, 13.0rpg, 3.6apg, 1.1spg, 51FG%, 66FT%)
Marcin Gortat (12.4ppg, 7.0rpg, 1.0spg, 2.4bpg, 50FG%, 68FT%)
6th Man: Salim Stoudamire (17.0ppg, 4.7apg, 50FG%, 46 3PT%, 100FT%)

[studbucket]

Re: NBA 2K23 - The Kobe Era Reimagined

Is Minnesota's problem defense? Depth? Rebounding? I'd expect them to be a bit better than they are right now.