(63-19) First Round Wraps Up [4-0]

[Axel The Great]

Ouch, that hurts So it's Miami and Dallas in the Finals! I love it!

Should be a good series, just like irl.

That's how we do! You just got 06'd! Oh, & sorry , but really tough losses, always next year.

Next year that title has our name on it.

Mavericks all the way baby!

Shame to see the collapse of the Rockets. K-Mart will lead this team to a title

Fixed. No scrub like Halstead can lead a team, that's for sure.

Wow definitely not what expected, seeing how underrated the Mavs are in 2k11. Caron went nuts.


Hope to see more of the story shortly.

Yeah, 2K does seem to underrate Dallas a bit, especially Dirk. Guess those underrated teams don't always lose though.

In my association, Terry is the beast and Caron is a garbage.(When playing with them)

Anyways, ouch! Tough loss. All these hard wins....we still can't get it into finals.

Both of those are very capable of scoring in bunches. Caron I find doesn't take as many shots which is why he may not be as good to others. But when he does take shots...

We will get to the Finals next year if the right improvements are made.

Wow, did not think that there was a team that could stop your run for the Larry O`Brien trophy. Tough loss, but at least against my Mavs. Haven't been following recently, but I checked every once in a while and thought you might go straight to the finals.

Nice to see you around on the board again, Hov. The team seemed unstoppable, but I guess a little too much Dirk and Butler got Dallas over the top.

How the hell did Butler score 43. Thats unreal.

Theres always next year.

K-Mart dropped 45 on the Spurs this postseason. Not impossible.

Butler is a beast in 2K.

If he's taking shots, yes he is.

Halstead will lead this team to a title

Yep, looking forward to that. Ax, you will still give him a cocky personality?

Well it's what everyone like about him in my last story. So cocky personality ftw.

Chapter 20 is next (can't believe I did 20 chapters in one season). Then Finals recap, and offseason coverage.

[Axel The Great]

Yes long, I know. But if you like action and suspense, hopefully you'll find it a nice read. May get a little harsh for PG ratings in some parts though.








Chapter 20 - Sicilian Kaboom

A black pickup truck was driving towards an abandoned warehouse. Inside the truck, were three men by the name of Jerome, Axel, and Luigi. As they got out of the truck, they saw a bunch of other cars parked outside the warehouse, which meant that the gang that bet against the mafia in the Western Conference Finals was already there.

"Remember, not a sound until after I activate the bomb. We must first see the outcome of the game to see whether or not we should activate it," Jerome told the other two as they got out of the truck, carrying a package wrapped in manila paper. Their plan was to sneak in through the backdoor, and make their way upstairs so they wouldn't be seen as they waited for the gang to hand over the three million dollars they bet against the mafia.

However, as they looked around the corner, someone was guarding the backdoor. A mafia henchman, six-feet, six inches tall, was standing guard with an AK-47 in his hands. Not only was his height and size intimidating, but also the weapon in his hand. No, instead, the three took their chances with a grappling hook. Axel took out what looked like a gun, fired it to the sky, and out came a hook tied to a rope which clamped itself tight on the rooftop of the warehouse. The three climbed the rope all the way to the top of the warehouse, and as Axel rewinded the hook back into the gun, Jerome gathered up a plan.

"We gonna open up the roof door, go down the stairs, and find a place where we can overhear what everyone is saying. Again, not a sound from any of us," he said.

Axel was nervous, his heart was pumping so viciously in his chest that it wouldn't be far-fetched to be heard by someone else in the warehouse. The stairs from the roof door led to a hallway where the rails to an indoor balcony (which went around all of the second floor) were in view, and there was a couple of doors to the left and right of the hallway. Jerome was just about to open one of the doors, when Axel walked over to the edge of the balcony to get a good look at the other gang that was on the first floor.

"NO! They'll see you! Get yo' dumbass over here!" Jerome said in a yelling whisper. However, everyone had their backs to Axel on the first floor; they were all watching the big screen TV, which was showing Game Six of the Western Conference Finals, Houston at Dallas.

It was hard to tell who was in which gang, as the mafia and the other gang were both wearing black tuxedos, but there were some who were wearing sunglasses. Those, Axel assumed, ought to be the mafia henchmen, while those without sunglasses must be the other gang.

Jerome grabbed Axel by the back of his shirt and pulled him into the room he had opened, closed it and began to vent on Axel for not following instructions. "They had their backs turned to me, nobody saw me!" exclaimed Axel in defense. "You don't know that. What if there was other henchmen standing guard in the corner? You'd have been dead by then," Jerome said.

Axel heard cheers from outside, which meant that one team or the other had done something. He wanted to go watch the game, but Jerome insisted on them keeping a low profile until the game finished.

"How are we to know whether or not the Mavericks have won? We need to keep an eye on the time and score!" Axel said after a while. "Alright, fine, but make sure you are not caught. If you're caught, we're not going to rescue you, simple as that," Jerome said. "Be careful," said Luigi, and Axel went out of the room.

Before the end of the hallway, Axel peered around the corner to make sure no mafia henchmen were on the balcony, and when he was sure the coast was clear, went over to the railway of the balcony. The score read DAL 110, HOU 105 on ESPN's scoreboard, there was only two seconds remaining, Rockets ball. Axel felt his heart flip upside down. "Fuck!" he muttered under his breath.

"Brooks fires up a desperation three that's way off. And Dallas, now moves on to the NBA Finals, an ultimate chance to finally get rid of the choke label and come out on top!" Mike Breen was heard on the TV.

Mafia henchmen below cheered, some pounding their fists on the long table in celebration. Others, from the other gang, groaned and also pounded their fists on the table. In all the yells, groans, and pounding fists, Axel heard a familiar voice, "And now for the ultimate prize." David Stern held out his hand as if asking for the money the mafia was promised.

Axel heard a sigh. "Fine, get the briefcase," he heard someone (whom was probably the leader of the other gang) say. The accent sounded very Asian-heavy. "Must be some sort of Asian gang," Axel muttered under his breath again.

He saw someone put down a briefcase on the table, and open it. There, that had to be the most money one would ever see at one time; just a bunch of 100 dollar bills piled on top of one another, multiple stacks organized neatly on the briefcase.

Axel, thinking fast, took out his grappling hook, aimed and hit it at the roof, and swung himself downwards onto the table. From the corners of his eyes, he saw a bunch of people look up at him. Just as David Stern was about to grab the briefcase, Axel grabbed it and swung upwards to the other side of the balcony.

"IT'S AXEL! KILL HIM! KILL HIM! RETRIEVE THAT MONEY!!!" he heard Stern yell. At that moment, the warehouse was flooded with people scrambling trying to get up the stairs and bullets firing in all directions.

Axel ran for it, not looking back. He saw Jerome and Luigi come out from the room, and they began to shoot at those on the first floor. Axel pulled out a smoke bomb, and launched it at the long table. As smoke began to fill up the first floor, Axel was cornered by the same Asian leader. "Give me back the money, and you'll be unharmed," he said in his Asian accent. Axel, curious of where they had acquired so much money, gave him the briefcase, and told the leader, "They fixed the series to go the way of Dallas. Do not give them the money they deserve. Keep it to yourselves. I don't know where you got so much money, but the mafia sure as hell don't deserve it."

The leader nodded, and yelled orders to his henchmen in Vietnamese (or Japanese, Axel wasn't sure which), and instead of chasing after Axel, the Asian gang began shooting at the mafia henchmen. A war had broken out.

He saw bodies hit the floor through all the smoke, and he heard bullets pass right by his ears; there were henchmen who had climbed the stairs to the second floor, and were now trying to shoot him.

Axel ran to the stairs that led to the roof of the warehouse, pulling out his uzi and shooting three mafia henchmen along the way. As he climbed the stairs, he looked back to see where Jerome and Luigi were, but they were nowhere to be found. Thinking to himself that they'd be smart enough to escape, Axel made it up to the roof.

He came face-to-face with the same mafia henchman he had seen earlier. At six feet, six inches, Axel reached up to his chin, and had to look up to meet eye-to-eye with him. He grabbed Axel by the collar of his shirt with both hands, but Axel, reacting quickly, uppercut him square in the nose. Recovering, the henchman put his AK-47 up and as he was about to pull the trigger, a bullet hit him right on the side of the head. He fell backwards, rolled off the roof and all the way down to the ground.

Axel looked to see whose bullet that had been, and it was Jerome, climbing his way out of the roof door clutching an uzi of his own. He was alone.

"Where's Luigi?" asked Axel. "He's dead. Shot in the head by a henchman. Saw his body drop to the floor," Jerome said, but not in the usual confident tone of voice he always had.

"Well, can't we go back in there and retrieve his body for a proper burial?" asked Axel. "No, it's too risky. I've already activated the bomb, it's due to explode any minute now. Don't want to meet the same end as everyone else in there," Jerome said.

Had Luigi not wanted to kill him when they first met, Axel would've probably shed a tear, but he still felt sorry for the loss. He was in better shape than Jerome was, though, as he looked like he was about to break down in tears any second. Jerome finally shed a tear, wiped it and said, "We jus' gotta move on, man."

Nodding, Axel made a run down the stairs next to the warehouse, the only way down from the roof outside. He and Jerome jumped back inside the Toyota Tundra pickup truck, and drove a good distance away from the warehouse to avoid getting hit by the explosion. Jerome powerslid the truck to face the warehouse, and just after he did so, a huge explosion flashed before their eyes.

Wood, broken glass, and other things flew everywhere. Had there been buildings next to the warehouse, they would've surely exploded or at least caught fire as well. As the warehouse crumbled and collapsed to the floor, Axel couldn't help but feel satisfied at what he and Jerome just did.

Sure, they may have killed a bunch of people, but they put an end to any corruption in basketball for the time being. "It was Stern and Donaghy who finally met an explosive end. Rockets may have been eliminated from the playoffs, but at least we make sure that they don't go stealing anymore NBA titles from deserving teams ever again," Axel said.

Then, out of the warehouse, came a dark figure, crawling and struggling as if trying to get away from the fire. Axel got out of the truck and went to see who it was, hoping it was Luigi. The figure was wide-looking, and had glasses still on his face. It was a burnt David Stern.

"You see now what you've done to a rich man like me. You see what I have become!" he yelled. "Burnt up. You burned all of my plans to a crisp. I WILL KILL YOU!" Stern tried to get up, couldn't, and instead tried to grab Axel's legs. Axel merely took a step back, whipped out his uzi and aimed it at Stern's head. "And so you and your corrupted buddies meet a nasty end here, my friend. You did well running the NBA as commissioner for two decades, but now it's time for someone else to take your throne. Someone who's not corrupted and can do the job right," Axel said. He pulled the trigger, and after the loud bang, Stern dropped dead, face down, not moving anymore.

Police, ambulance, and firefighters began to arrive on the scene, but the black Toyota Tundra was long gone.

As Axel got back on to the pickup truck, he asked Jerome, "How am I to get back to Houston now?" Jerome laughed, and said, "Don't worry man. I've got connections. They'll fly you on a private jet plane back to yo' city."

They drove to an open area, and since Jerome's connections were in New York already, the jet arrived within minutes. Before Axel got on, he had a few words with Jerome.

"I guess this is good-bye, then? I bet I won't be seeing you again?" asked Axel. "Oh you'll be seein' me again, trust me. If there's ever any other dangerous mission to be accomplished, I'll give you a call. But for now, yes, this is good-bye. It was an honor working with you," Jerome said, as the two shook hands and parted ways.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in Houston, Axel arrived at Rockets headquarters. Arriving, the secretary looked up from her desk. Excitedly, she ran over to hug Axel. "Yes, yes, it's nice to see you too, Adriana," he told her, and moved on to Daryl Morey's office.

He stood at the door, and Morey, now chatting with Mark Cuban online, angrily closed the discussion and then looked up. He however, did not look as excited as Adriana. "Where in the bloody hell have you been? Look at you. You've got dust, sweat, and even blood on your clothes. Explain yourself," he said, in a near yell.

Axel laughed. "It's nice to see you again too, Mr. Morey. I was in New York, doing... doing a bit of dirty work, if that's what you want to call it. You wouldn't believe me if I told you what it was, though. Nice to be back. On the day of my birthday," Axel added.

"Well, you arrived just in time. Time to get the offseason started seeing as how you missed the elimination of the Houston Rockets," Morey said, unconvinced. "Oh, I'd know all about their elimination, but yes, this is where you will see why you needed me. I specialize in college talent, and with the NBA Draft coming up, you won't be disappointed," Axel said, and went to go sit at his desk as if he had just casually arrived for another day at work.

They went quiet, and then heard the news on a TV someone was watching in another room. "Today's headline is that there was an explosion at an abandoned warehouse in New York City around midnight last night. Sources have confirmed that a gang war went on inside, and a gang member set a bomb to go off. The number of casualties is unconfirmed, but it is confirmed that former NBA Commissioner David Stern and former NBA referee Tim Donaghy have been reported missing," they heard the woman who was broadcasting CBS Eyewitness News.

"You know, I have an odd feeling that you've just been on a spy mission and that you were successful in it," Morey told Axel, squinting at him.

"Maybe I have, Morey. Maybe I have..."

[George7]

Dallas eliminated you!!! Stern made his evil plans again...(or it was the raise of difficulty level ?:lol: )


....but he was punished for it once and for ever!!!


Loved this chapter!! Your writing skills at their best!

[Houndy]

Stern is gone

[rise]

lol nice. So who's the new commissioner? I vote for Joel Anthony.

[Mavs4Life]

Very well written chapter STERN IS DEAD & , wonder who'll take his place?

[shadowgrin]

Charles Barkley for commissioner. Or Shaq.

[George7]

Axel for commissioner in order to rig the league for Houston's favor!!

[Axel The Great]

Dallas eliminated you!!! Stern made his evil plans again...(or it was the raise of difficulty level ?:lol: )


....but he was punished for it once and for ever!!!


Loved this chapter!! Your writing skills at their best!

It was both things that led to our elimination. And thanks for the praise, really glad you enjoyed the chapter! I'll truthfully admit that it's my best one yet.

Stern is gone

Long time coming.

:lol: lol nice. So who's the new commissioner? I vote for Joel Anthony.

Joel Anthony is too great for commissioner. He should just stay on the court and continue blocking shots.

Very well written chapter STERN IS DEAD & , wonder who'll take his place?

Thanks. You'll find out eventually.

Charles Barkley for commissioner. Or Shaq.

The latter isn't a bad choice. Charles' turribleness probably wouldn't make a good commish.

Axel for commissioner in order to rig the league for Houston's favor!!

Haha, I wish.

NBA Finals recap next, and then let's get the offseason started.

[Axel The Great]

2011 NBA Finals

(2) Miami Heat [55-27] vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks [50-32]

Best if you read this from top to bottom. Please use spoilers in your comments as well.

@
Game One: DAL wins 106-93
25 31 27 23 106
29 22 32 10 93

It took a team effort for Dallas to steal the first game of the Finals on the road. The Mavericks had six scorers in double-digits, balancing out the scoring making their offense unpredictable. The were able to hold Miami to a severely sub-par 10 points in the final period, which allowed them to pull ahead and get a good head start in the Finals.

Key Performers:
Heat:
LeBron James - 23 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 8/18 FG, 6/6 FT
Dwyane Wade - 19 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 7/20 FG, 4/5 FT
Chris Bosh - 18 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 7/12 FG, 4/5 FT
Mike Bibby - 9 points, 8 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 3/8 FG

Mavericks:
Caron Butler - 19 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 7/16 FG
Jason Terry - 19 points, 1 rebound, 7 steals, 1 block, 6/16 FG, 5/6 FT
Dirk Nowitzki - 18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 8/17 FG
Tyson Chandler - 16 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 5/8 FG, 6/7 FT
Shawn Marion - 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 5/7 FG

@
Game Two: MIA wins 105-89; Series Tied 1-1
33 20 18 18 89
33 19 34 19 105

Miami got even in this one, despite having to do it without Dwyane Wade. Wade spent the whole game in foul trouble, being limited to just 12 minutes. This was where LeBron James stepped up big scoring 40 points including 6/8 from downtown. Miami as a team shot 11/24 from beyond the arc. Dallas meanwhile, coughed up the ball 19 times, a surefire way to lose against a team like the Heat.

Key Performers:
Heat:
LeBron James - 40 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 12/21 FG, 6/8 3P, 10/13 FT
Chris Bosh - 29 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 13/20 FG
Dwyane Wade - 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 3/5 FG
Mike Bibby - 9 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound, 4/14 FG

Mavericks:
Caron Butler - 19 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 6/13 FG, 6/7 FT
Dirk Nowitzki - 15 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 6/13 FG
Tyson Chandler - 14 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5/8 FG, 4/5 FT
Shawn Marion - 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 blocks, 4/6 FG

@
Game Three: MIA wins 120-113; leads series 2-1
22 33 29 36 120
22 28 27 36 113

In a high scoring affair, the Miami Heat came out on top thanks to their ball movement. They had 33 assists and only nine turnovers. Both teams shot 54% from the field, but Miami's Big 3 was able to out-edge Dirk Nowitzki's lone 38-point effort to take the lead in the series.

Key Performers:
Mavericks:
Dirk Nowitzki - 38 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 14/18 FG, 10/12 FT
Jason Terry - 20 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steals, 4/10 FG, 10/13 FT
Tyson Chandler - 13 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block, 3/9 FG, 7/8 FT
Caron Butler - 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 6/10 FG

Heat:
LeBron James - 36 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, 14/28 FG, 5/12 3P
Dwyane Wade - 33 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, 13/21 FG, 4/6 3P
Chris Bosh - 27 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 9/14 FG, 9/10 FT

@
Game Four: DAL wins 100-90; Series Tied 2-2
20 18 21 31 90
22 21 25 32 100

Miami shot a poor 37% from the field, despite the huge scoring fourth quarter. Dallas crushed them on the boards 48-38 and dominated the inside with 10 blocks as a team. Heading into the pivotal Game Five, it's anyone's series now.

Key Performers:
Mavericks:
Dirk Nowitzki - 29 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks, 11/22 FG, 6/8 FT
Caron Butler - 20 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 8/14 FG
Tyson Chandler - 13 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 5/10 FG
Jason Terry - 9 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals, 3/11 FG

Heat:
Chris Bosh - 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, 9/18 FG
LeBron James - 23 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 6/18 FG, 10/11 FT
Dwyane Wade - 13 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, 2/13 FG, 9/14 FT
Mike Bibby - 12 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound, 3/6 3P

@
Game Five: DAL wins 100-99; leads series 3-2
21 26 25 27 99
23 25 26 26 100

A game-winner from Dirk Nowitzki propelled the Mavericks to retaking the lead in the series and on the brink of an NBA title. A fadeaway 16-foot jumpshot over LeBron James at the buzzer, and this surely gives Dallas the confidence they need heading back to Miami. Despite shooting 52% from the field, Dallas needed a great clutch performance to be able to defeat the 41% shooting of Miami.

Key Performers:
Mavericks:
Dirk Nowitzki - 34 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 11/18 FG, 10/11 FT
Caron Butler - 15 points, 6 rebounds, 5/12 FG
Jason Terry - 14 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 4/8 FG
JJ Barea - 12 points, 3 assists, 1 rebound, 5/7 FG

Heat:
LeBron James - 32 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 8/20 FG, 14/17 FT
Dwyane Wade - 18 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals, 1 block, 5/11 FG, 7/9 FT
Zydrunas Ilgauskas - 17 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 4/6 FG, 9/11 FT

@
Game Six: MIA wins 116-92; Series Tied 3-3
18 23 28 23 92
29 22 25 40 116

It took a huge 40-point fourth quarter for Miami to force a Game Seven. LeBron James had a triple-double of 36 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. For Dallas, it was tough as only Caron Butler managed to reach 20 points, while Dirk Nowitzki was the best next scorer with 14. It will take a Game Seven to decide this year's NBA Champion, who will come out on top?

Key Performers:
Heat:
LeBron James - 36 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals, 3 blocks, 13/21 FG, 3/7 3P, 7/10 FT
Dwyane Wade - 23 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 5 steals, 3 blocks, 7/14 FG, 8/13 FT
Mike Miller - 14 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 5/7 FG, 4/4 3P
Zydrunas Ilguaskas - 13 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 4/10 FG, 5/6 FT

Mavericks:
Caron Butler - 20 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 8/18 FG
Dirk Nowitzki - 14 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 4/8 FG, 6/6 FT
Jason Terry - 13 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 3/11 FG, 7/8 FT
Shawn Marion - 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 5/8 FG

@
Game Seven: DAL wins 97-96; DAL wins series 4-3; 2011 NBA Champions
27 27 23 20 97
29 17 24 26 96

It was a Game Seven that was expected by many. Miami's 20 turnovers proved to be costly; in the possession to potentially take their first lead since the first quarter with less than two minutes remaining, LeBron James passed out of a layup to Chris Bosh, but it was picked off by Dirk Nowitzki, who stole the ball and ultimately turned the game into a free throw shootout, not allowing the Heat to get any closer to the lead. Dallas wins its first ever NBA Championship, and their veterans, Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd (sprained ankle), Jason Terry, Shawn Marion to name a few, have finally won that elusive NBA championship.

Key Performers:
Heat:
Dwyane Wade - 26 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 10/19 FG, 3/7 3P
Chris Bosh - 22 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 7/11 FG, 8/8 FT
LeBron James - 21 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, 6/18 FG, 7/7 FT
Zydrunas Ilguaskas - 10 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 3/5 FG

Mavericks:
Jason Terry - 22 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 7/14 FG, 4/10 3P, 4/5 FT
Dirk Nowitzki - 20 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 6/17 FG, 8/9 FT
Rodrigue Beaubois - 13 points, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5/7 FG, 3/3 3P
Shawn Marion - 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3/5 FG









2011 NBA Finals MVP-

24.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, 1.3 apg, 1.4 bpg, 50.3% FG, 37% 3P, 87% FT

[Mavs4Life]

I sorta wish it happened this way. Dallas forever !

[karlsanada10]

Wow! That was unexpected. Heat is supposed to win it since simulation is rigged in 2k11 or did you watch this game?

[rise]

karlsanada10, not always. I've had Dallas win a couple times. In fact, the Orlando Magic and Utah Jazz have won multiple times as well.

Anyway, I can't wait to see if there's anything else about Axel's "adventrues"/

[qfrmcpt310]

Thank you videogame god

[shadowgrin]

[/joy]

[karlsanada10]

nevermind what I asked about if you watch the game. I jst saw the screenshots.

[George7]

Thank you videogame god

Agreed...
At least Dallas won the Finals !

[Stress Fracture]

FUCK YOU, MIAMI! Even though in video games, LeBron still doesn't win a ring.

I want Shaq to be the next commissioner!

[Houndy]

YESSSS

[Lamrock]

Epic finals with you with the incredibly close game 7 and the same teams and victor as irl

Good luck in the offseason! Are you doing season #2 in 2K11 or 2K12?

[Axel The Great]

Alright guys, spoiler use can be lifted now. I'm sure everyone is probably aware now who's the champion. Also I will edit the Finals recap to include the Finals MVP, but I'm sure everyone already knows who it is.

Mavs4Life, Game 7 would've been awesome, but who knows if Dallas would've won irl.

karlsanada10, did one simulation (simulated game-by-game). Played Game Six to get screens and simmed to end of game, but unfortunately Miami won by a landslide.

z02, It's possible to have even an eighth seed win. Nothing else planned for "adventures", but we'll see what ideas pop into my head as time goes by.

qfrmcpt310, yep. Gods were kind enough to have the Heat come back from 2-3 and 1-3 against the Pacers and Knicks respectively, but the Finals was as far as the Heat were gonna go.

shadowgrin, I'll bet you are happy that this wasn't just another association in which the Heat win it all.

George7, despite the fact that the sim engine favors Miami.

Stress Fracture, yeah but LeBron still performs well, even in the fourth quarter.

Houndy, just like in real life.

Lamrock, epic it was. Next year the bracket will have our names on the NBA Finals, I can guarantee you that. And as for your question, good question. 2K12 won't have Yao Ming since he's retired, so definitely 2K11 will hold season 2, especially since Martin's (probably) reaching his peak at a 87 overall rating. I wouldn't say no to starting a retro association with Olajuwon's Rockets, though.

Alright guys, offseason coverage is next. You know, the usual re-signing, player/team options, player/coach retirement, and other good stuff. Then I'll do some draft coverage.

[kibaxx7]

Missed the chapter and the Finals. Superb job man, I vote Barkley for new commish

[Axel The Great]

Missed the chapter and the Finals. Superb job man, I vote Barkley for new commish

Hope you enjoyed the chapter and the Finals. As for the superb job, on what? Putting an end to Stern or writing the chapter?

Retired players/coaches next.

[Axel The Great]

Shaq, Kidd, Headline Retiring Players

Posted by Axel Gomez June 13, 2011 at 6:11 PM
It feels good to be back and posting another article. From what I've heard, Daryl Morey did a pretty decent job in keeping this blog up to date, but apparently used the word asset too many times, which upset my asset readers.

Well another season gone, and there is yet for the league and the players to settle an agreement for a new CBA in order to prevent a lockout. With another season gone, there are players who've had enough, and don't think their bodies can endure another season in the NBA. Shaquille O'Neal and Jason Kidd are the main headlines in list of retiring players.

Shaq's announcement came before the NBA Finals began, stating that he's "Endured too many injuries. Time to put the Diesel to rest and find something new to do." He suffered a Torn MCL mid-season with the Boston Celtics, which sidelined him for the rest of the season. Many were thinking that he'd come back stronger next year to be able to help the aging Celtics to one last title, but apparently, his MCL didn't think the same. Shaq gave the league 19 years of pure dominance, bulldozing anyone in his way en route winning four NBA titles and an MVP award. He makes a strong case for best center of all time, and with such a great career, he will be one of the most talked about players for a long time to come. Shaq leaves the league having scored 28,604 points (seventh all-time), 13,079 rebounds (13th all-time), 3,019 assists, 2,719 blocks (eighth all-time) and 1,197 games played.

During the season, Kidd announced his retirement from the NBA. Second in the league in assists, Kidd appeared to have shown no sign of regression and appeared to be one of those players who would retire in his 40's. He suffered a Strained Abdomen during the season, and plagued with a few other minor injuries, which led to him coming to a decision to retire. In the Western Conference Finals, Kidd suffered a Sprained Ankle which sat him out the rest of the playoffs. He was able to help take Dallas to the Finals, but had to sit and watch his team struggle against the Miami Heat. Fortunately, Dallas was able to come out on top, and Kidd is now able to retire with a championship that he so rightfully deserved. "Many said I'd be another John Stockton. Great passing and defensive point guard, one of the best all-time, but never win a championship. I feel like if my career now has the missing piece of the puzzle, and I can now happily retire knowing that not only did I win my first championship, but I also helped other deserving veterans to do so as well," Kidd said in his official retirement press conference. Kidd leaves the NBA having scored 16,786 points, 11,778 assists (second all-time), 8,301 rebounds, 2,488 steals (third all-time), 1,761 three-point makes (third all-time), and 1,269 games played.

Antonio McDyess of the San Antonio Spurs has also decided to retire. McDyess was a big reason why the Spurs were able to defeat the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, helping to fill in for the injured Tim Duncan. Despite having a good career, especially as a role player, McDyess never picked up that coveted NBA title. He retires with 12,025 points, 7,603 rebounds, 1,099 blocks, and 1,024 games played.

Other veterans Grant Hill and Michael Finley announced their retirement as well. Hill was hyped to be the next Michael Jordan early on in his career, but injuries flattened any possibility of that happening. However, he still had a respectable career as a supporting player, despite the career-threatening injuries. He retires with 16,442 points, 6,109 rebounds, 4,002 assists, 1,235 steals, and 950 games played. Finley had his best years with the Dallas Mavericks, being known as an excellent scorer and having a good all-around game. Like the latter two mentioned players, he never picked up an NBA Championship, retiring after just playing 51 games for the Oklahoma City Thunder this season. Finley picked up 17,430 points, 4,838 rebounds, 3,261 assists, 999 steals, and 1,154 games played.

And to round this off, let's mention the coaches who decided to hang up the clipboards. Jerry Sloan and George Karl were the only two coaches to retire. Both of them had great runs to the NBA Finals in the 90's, and continued to keep their teams legitimate the past decade as well. They were both eliminated in the first round of this year's playoffs, and their retirements have raised a few eyebrows. Sloan's all-time coaching record is 1240-810, which is third in all-time coaching wins. Karl's all-time coaching record is 1033-706.

Below is the list of all retired players, their age and how many years they played in the league.

Player	Age	Years Pro
Earl Boykins (MIL)	35	12
Kurt Thomas (CHI)	38	16
Shaquille O'Neal (BOS)	39	19
Juwan Howard (MIA)	38	17
Theo Ratliff (LAL)	38	16
Jason Kidd (DAL)	38	17
Anthony Carter (DEN)	36	12
Antonio McDyess (SAS)	36	16
Grant Hill (PHX)	38	17
Michael Finley (OKC)	38	16

Comments: (3)

Posted by The REAL K-Mart (Kenyon sucks!) June 13, 2011 at 7:17 PM
Nice to see you back Axel. Morey sucks as a writer, sure he did the recaps well enough, but it's hard for him not to use the word asset. Great to see Kidd retire with a ring, came at the price of our Rockets not winning the championship, but we'll get it next year.

Posted by Kobe #24 4-ever June 13, 2011 at 7:31 PM
shaq led my lakers to the glorious years and three-peat. best moments of my life. i hate that he had to retire as a celtic.

Posted by Ariza's Bricks June 13, 2011 at 8:13 PM
You know, sometimes I feel undeserving of my championship ring especially since some of those retired players deserved one more than I do. But oh well, not everyone can win a championship, and not everyone makes better bricks than I.

[Solaris Phase Two]

They all had good storied careers. Most with injuries but im sure they had alot of fun in their careers.






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