Hov's Mavs (21-27): All-Star starters / Around the league

[Valor]

Wizards, Bobcats, and Cavaliers in the top 8? Did I read that right?
Good work grabbing that 8th seed, although it's weird to see teams sub .500 anywhere near the top 8 in the West

[hova-]

Vote your game of the month January on NBA.com

The NBA is heading into the new year as teams prepare to make a surge in January. Vote for your match of the month which will be covered on NBA.com.


01/07/2013 Boston Celtics (17-15) vs New York Knicks (16-15)

Two teams with a bunch of veterans but difference in success so far this season will meet when the Celtics visit Madison Square Garden to play against the Knicks. Paul Pierce is having a throwback year (24.4 ppg) whilst Carmelo Anthony is shooting lights out this season (28.5 ppg/51%FG).

01/04/2013 Cleveland Cavaliers (22-8) vs Charlotte Bobcats (19-12)

The matchup of two of the most surprising teams this season is also a one-on-one showdown between two of the best upcoming point guards in the league as Kyrie Irving (24.9ppg/7.5apg) and Kemba Walker (21.1ppg/6.5apg) will face each other @Charlotte.

01/11/2013 Oklahoma City Thunder (18-12) vs Los Angeles Lakers (20-11)

Two Western powerhouses match up when the Los Angeles Lakers (1st in the West) host the Oklahoma City Thunder (2nd). Kobe Bryant is #vino this year (29.6 ppg) and Kevin Durant is putting up eye-popping all-around numbers (26.7ppg/8.8rpg/3.5apg) but the Thunder could miss center Kendrick Perkins as well as forward Nick Collison because of injury.

01/17/2013 Miami Heat (25-4) vs Los Angeles Lakers (20-11)

The two best teams of their conferences face each other at Staples Center as LeBron James (24.5ppg/8.0rpg/5.4apg) visits Los Angeles. How important can Dwight Howard (18.5ppg/9.9rpg/1.9bpg) be against the small Heat lineup?

[hova-]

Valor, Well, injuries have a lot to do with these standings, but I also dont like it a lot. 2k is still not very good simming this stuff, but has improved over the years.

[Durant35]

I'm debating whether it's the OKC-LAL one, or the MIA-LAL one.



I'll take the latter I guess.

[Valor]

Knicks Celtics is always fun to watch and yeah, 2Ks sim engine leaves a lot to be desired despite the improvements throughout the years

[Phil89]

Cavs vs Bobcats. How can anyone not pick that one?


Seriously though, Kyrie and Kemba would put on a good show.

[Fresh8]

Heat v LAL

[hova-]

Cardinals forward Terraill Brown is one of the favorites for the number one pick in this year's draft.


In no particular order, a quick overview of players likely to be picked with a lottery pick in the draft 2013 if they declare.
Ryon Owens (C/Georgetown)

At 6-10 and with a 7-2 wingspan as well as 254 lbs. , Ryon Owens is built to block shots and defend the post. The Houston native is maybe the most important player in the defense first Hoya squad racking up 7.5 boards and 1.4 rejections per game. Offensively, Owens is still very raw and given his four years at College have not really helped to improve his subpar shooting touch and hands, he may never be a real factor on the offensive end.

Terraill Brown(PF/Louisville)

With a body that looks like it was modelled for a basketball athlete, freakish athleticism and condor-like wingspan, seven footer Terraill Brown has been on the radar of NBA scouts since his freshman season. Brown has made a significant step in his second season at Louisville, but has still shown struggles to use his physical conditions effectively. 13.1 points and 5.2 rebounds for a balanced Cardinals team seem to be below the numbers Brown should be able to put up. “TB” often ends up with five shot attempts or fewer in games despite being the toughest player to defend on his team.

Keeron Waters (SF/Georgetown)

Keeron Waters wasn’t really attracting notice before this year’s college season. Right now, the 6-6 swingman looks like a top five prospects and has gained nation-wide attention for his selfless and sometimes selfdestructing play. Waters has an NBA-ready body and can play the two or the three. Together with Ryon Owens, Waters has helped to form the Georgetown Hoyas defense to the third best of the country. On offense, Waters lives from cuts and easy dunks as his shot still needs some work. Defensively, he loves to wilden through the passing lanes, averaging almost three steals per game.

Jules Harper (SG/Boston College)

The Boston College Eagles are the surprise of the year. The Eagles put up a five game winning streak beating the Bluedevils and the Tar Heels by double digits. A big reason for the success of the small college out of beantown is the strong play of sophomore shooting guard Jules Harper. The 19-year old put the Eagles on the college map single-handedly after a 40 point explosion against the Miami Hurricanes and is averaging 20.1 points per game this season. Harper came out of nowhere, appearing only in six games in his freshman season. His strenght is his strong ball handling and ability to go to the basket, but he is also a decent perimetre-defender.

Derrell Mills (SF/Georgia Tech)

The rise and fall of the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets pretty much depends on Derrell Mills this season. The 6-7 swingman has become the best player of the team in his junior season and leads his squad in scoring, rebounds, assists and blocks. D-Mills has also gained a reputation as a defensive stopper on the perimetre. The 21-year old forward lives and dies by his athleticism as he has not developed a shot from more than 12 feet yet.

Jamie Stevens (PG/UCLA)

Jamie Stevens has been an All-American last year leading UCLA to the Sweet Sixteen without any reasonable help from his team mates. Stevens is a dime-dropper, who can make everybody around him on the court better. At 6-1 and with limited athleticism, the L.A. native reminds of former All-Star and Cavalier Mark Price. Just like Price, Stevens is an effective shooter and can hit the three from well beyond College range. His 5.6 assists per game are good enough for first in the Pac-12.


Out of nowhere onto the national radar: Canadian Ty Mason.

Ty Mason (SF/Michigan State)

Ty Mason came out of nowhere and has surprised fans and experts as well with his baffling all-around game for the Michigan State Spartans. The 6-9 small forward was born in Canada and left to Michigan for his college career. For the Spartans, he made it to the starting five quickly and is averaging 10.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game being a factor for their recent success. Mason is only 19 years old and might still grow a few inches. NBA scouts say that he has not even come close to what he can bring to a team. His fundamentals are still raw and Mason still needs to get better on defense.

Michael Person (SG/Baylor)

A sharpshooting two-guard out of Baylor, Person is currently one of the best sixth man in college basketball. The 19-year old out of Indiana is shooting over 44% from down town in his first college season chipping in 8.3 points of the bench so far. While he still has some wholes in his game, especially on defense, it is pretty likely that Person will declare for the 2013 draft since NBA teams love player who can pocket the corner three just like “Pers” does.

Savier Hill (SG/Butler)

Savier Hill out of Butler has emerged as the best scorer in the Atlantic-10 with his mixture of solid midrange-shooting and a quick first step to the basket. Now in his third year for the Bulldogs, Hill seems to be on the top of his game averaging 18.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. At 6-6 and 206 lbs. Hill has an NBA-ready body but is not up there with athletes like Terraill Brown or Keeron Waters. His offensive fundamentals make him an intriguing prospect nevertheless.

Vaheem Bridges (PG/Syracuse)

One of the quickest players in college basketball, the 6-1 Vaheem Bridges has made himself a name with his great scoring as well as his drug antics which led to him being suspended for his freshman season. Bridges is still a big questionmark characterwise, but has let his game do the talk since then. With 20.4 points per game this season, he is one of the best scorers of the nation. Bridges is th best Orangemen point guard since Jonny Flynn and his quickness and ability to finish in traffic could give him a good shot at the top ten of the Draft if he declares.

[Martti.]

Heat v LAL

+1

Good to have you back! Will have to read more thoroughly once I get home, the draft preview looks great.

[Mark.]

Nice draft preview mate

[Fresh8]

Awesome Draft preview man.

[hova-]

Martti., thanks, man. Also glad I am back. 2k13 is flat out fun I have to say - especially on PC where you can change the game so easily.

Mark., cheers. Any favorite players you might want to read more about? You can still vote your GOTM.

Sit, good to see you around, bro. Thanks. Any player you'd like to read more about?

[Mark.]

Oh for my GOTM, Cavs Bobcats please.

Wouldn't mind hearing a bit more about my man Keeron Waters thanks!

[hova-]

No happy new year as Mavs lose against streaking Wizards

WASHINGTON (AP) Dallas starts off the year with a 86-102 loss at Washington

With Dirk Nowitzki still coming off the bench and Vince Carter as well as Chris Kaman only seeing limited minutes due to injury, the Mavericks had a tough time to keep up with the streaking young guns (maybe this name is not really appropriate after all that happened to that franchise) out of Washington.

The Wizards, despite also missing a key player in John Wall (knee) came out of the gates with a big confidence boost after winning three in a row against Eastern rivals Orlando, Cleveland and Chicago. Rookie Bradley Beal scored 27 points and Nené added 16 for the capital citizens who confirmed their good shape this season and improved to 18-11.

The Mavericks looked like an old team, outrebounded 47-42 and losing the ball 17 times. OJ Mayo scored 17 and Dirk Nowitzki added 13 and four boards in 17 minutes of playing time. Vince Carter continues to struggle with a broken pinky and only scored 5 points on 2-9 shooting. He also turned the ball over four times. Darren Collison had his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 10 assists.

Chris Kaman only played 17 minutes adding seven points and 4 rebounds. The 7-0 center is still dealing with a bruised knee cap. Wizards forward Kevin Seraphin notched a career-high 13 rebounds. Dallas will move on to play the Miami Heat @Southbeach. Miami, being the best team in the league (24-5) has lost his last one against the Orlando Magic.

Mavericks waive Mike James, add Jason Williams to roster

WASHINGTON (AP) Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson announced the signing of veteran Jason Williams

Right after the Wizards game, Mavs GM Donnie Nelson told media that the team had signed veteran point guard Jason Williams for the remainder of the season. In order to make a roster spot available, Mike James was waived.

"Mike and we decided that he just could not give us what we want with his physical condition being questionable due to health problems", Nelson told media. James had only averaged 3.8 points and 1.9 assists per game shooting 27% from the floor.

In Jason Williams, the Mavericks hope to get a point guard who can control the flow of the offense. "Jason still wants to play. He is missing the game", Nelson said. The 37-year old Williams had officially retired two years ago after his last stint with the Orlando Magic. A Florida-native, Williams will join the team already on their road trip in Miami.

Other Mavericks already were showing appreciation with the deal. "He is a veteran and knows how to pass the ball, that was what we are looking for", Dirk Nowitzki said.

"We are always trying to get better and we are always looking for players who can help us. Those roster spots can be so valuable, you should never underestimate the worth of a decent 14th or 15th man", said Nelson at the end of a press conference.

[Mark.]

Nice pick up with White Chocolate mate Are you playing Orlando after Miami? If so I wish you the best for the Heat game and the worst for the Magic game

[Valor]

Love the Jason Williams pick up

[hova-]

Mark., haha, no, will head back home to play the Hornets after that little South-East trip. Heat game was interesting and there was a key injury in that game, too. So stay tuned for the recap.

Valor, cheers. I already noticed how the "dimer" sig skills really makes a difference.

[Mark.]

Dimer sig skills?

[Fresh8]

Nice. Can't wait to see how you went on the road trip with Jason Williams. (washed up )

[Valor]

Dimer sig skills?

The signature skills feature in 2K13

[hova-]

Mark., the sig skill that increases the chances to hit a shot when the ball was passed by a player with this sig skill. You can really noticed a difference. Mediocre shooters will hit their shots when they are open after a pass of a dimer, whilst they would not hit that open shot when somebody else had passed it to them.

Sit, it's not like I expect him to lift this team to wins with a double double every night. I hope he can be efficient running my 2nd squad for 8-10 minutes keeping our offense alive a bit and hitting an open shot here and there.

[hova-]

Dallas Mavericks (14-18) at Miami Heat (24-5) 85-110

Preview | Boxscore | Recap | Highlights

Heat blow out Mavericks as Wade goes down


LeBron James and Dwyane Wade celebrating after an and-one play. Wade injured his knee later in the game.



MIAMI, JANUARY 2nd (AP) - The Miami Heat have no problems solving the Dallas Mavericks but lose Dwyane Wade with a knee injury.

At first, it was a show of force by the Miami Heat and their reconvalseced superstar Dwyane Wade as the "Flash" scored 37 points and dished out 8 assists in a defeat against the Mavericks. But in the end it turned out to be another setback for the two-time NBA champion only two weeks before his 31st birthday.

Wade completely dominated the game and allowed LeBron James and Chris Bosh to take supporting roles against a Dallas team, that never looked dangerous to the Heat. But as the game was basically over in the fourth quarter, Wade dribbled around a screen and forced his way to the basket before getting jammed between screener Joel Anthony and Mavericks center Brandan Wright. Wade's knee bended as he stumbled over Wright's leg and went down.

"It does not look good, the MRIs showed that he has a torn meniscus in his right knee as well as a strained MCL. Dwyane will definitely require surgery", was the message Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley had just three hours after the injury occured.

Wade will at least miss two months with the injury, another setback for the shooting guard who was just about to find to his old form(20.6 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.6 apg) after missing eight games in November with a sore hamstring. "It's tough for me, for us as a team, but my boys have already shown how they can handle things without me. It's important for me to get healthy and not forcing an early comeback", Wade stated.

Besides Wade's 37-point heroics and his late injury, the story of the game is told quickly. The Mavericks never really found a chance to come close to beating the Heat as Miami shot 50% from the floor and forced 21 Mavericks turnovers. LeBron James only scored 14 points as he simply did not have to do more in order to win the game. Mario Chalmers was once again Miami's X-factor scoring 18 points and adding 4 steals.

For the Mavericks, one night after losing to the Wizards, their road trip will end winless as the team heads back to Dallas to play the Hornets on Friday. Dirk Nowitzki had his best scoring-outing of the season with 19 points and Shawn Marion also had a season-high 22, but as a team Dallas seemed always one step late and did not find a way to defend Dwyane Wade.

Newly acquired Mav Jason Williams had zero points, 5 assists and two turnovers in his return to the NBA.

"It was great to make my comeback in the city I won a title with", Williams who got a warm welcome from the Miami crowd, said. "Still, it's tough to see Dwyane going down in my first game back. I hope he comes back soon", the 37-year veteran, who won a title with Wade and the Heat in 2006 said.

Wade will have surgery on Thursday and start with his rehab in the next two weeks. Voices have already come up, that the eight time All-Star is starting to become more and more injury prone. As he is turning 31, Wade definitely can still play, but his body has shown some teardown in the last seasons. It is unlikely that Wade will play in the ASG if he gets voted in.


Player Stats -- Team Stats
(29|28|23|30|110)

LeBron James: 14 points - 6 rebounds - 5 assists - 6/14 FG
Dwyane Wade: 37 points - 7 rebounds - 8 assists - 16/25 FG Injury during game: torn meniscus in right knee
Chris Bosh: 10 points - 5 rebounds - 4/6 FG
Mario Chalmers: 18 points - 4 rebounds - 5 assists - 4 steals

(20|20|26|19|85)

O.J. Mayo: 14 points - 4 rebounds - 4 assists - 7/10 FG
Dirk Nowitzki: 19 points - 3 rebounds - 9/17 FG - 1/2 3PT
Shawn Marion: 22 points - 4 rebounds - 3 steals - 8/10 FG
Brandan Wright: 8 points - 6 rebounds - 4/6 FG

Quotable: "It's very tough for him as he was about to come back to his old form. We hope he will be back in march." (Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on Dwyane Wade's injury)
Game Notes: the Heat went to the line 25 times and hit 23 of their attempts ... Miami had 16 steals and forced 21 turnovers ... Dallas, a strong three point shooting team, only shot 2-12 from downtown (16%) ... Wade (37) and Nowitzki (19) both had season-high in points ...
Looking forward: CHI @ MIA (01/04) - NOH @ DAL (01/04)


Smith hopes to stay with Atlanta this season, doesn't want to talk contract read more
Lillard, Beal named rookies of the month read more
Jazz lose eighth straight as Wolves beat them at home read more
Nets' Greg Oden breaks hand, out for five weeks read more

[Mark.]

Ah gotcha with the dimer thing. I thought it must be a sig skill, but couldn't recall.

Man that is a rough injury to D-Wade. Individually your players had solid games.

[Durant35]

OJ needs to step up and hit more shots. I think he's capable of shouldering a team offensively, minus Dirk.

[Fresh8]

Can I request that you look into bringing back Yi Jianlian?