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

[rise]

I thought I was supposed to be a scorer.

[shadowgrin]

I thought I was supposed to be a scorer.

You are.

[Bucket]

Wooow, my player dominates in this tournament, I hope I will see bigger numbers in NBA.

[Houndy]

Willie's a beast assisting

[kibaxx7]

Wow, 18 boards

[Axel The Great]

Valdis is a boss ! Are you doing this next season or so ? I would love to join.

Yep, I'm doing this every season. The 2012 NLSC Draft Class is full at the moment. However, there are a few people in it whom I haven't seen around in a long time. You can send the application, and I can insert you into the 2012 draft class and push someone else to 2013.

That trophy sure rocks

Thanks! Glad you like it.

I thought I was supposed to be a scorer.

K-Mart drained you of shot attempts to tear other teams apart. But you filled your role well, though.

I thought I was supposed to be a scorer.

You are.

Wooow, my player dominates in this tournament, I hope I will see bigger numbers in NBA.

Yeah, but you must also consider that there were no other centers to compete against, so it was a gimme that you dominated.

Willie's a beast assisting

Yep. Pass me the ball.

Wow, 18 boards

That was a game which featured many bricks. If I remember correctly, Iggy and someone from the other team had double-digit rebounds as well, but you had 18, which is a lot for a point guard.

D-League recap (Vipers in the Finals!) and recap of the last week of the season is next! How will the Rockets finish?

[Lamrock]

Why did I think picking Wall as my teammate was a good idea?

[Martti.]

Valdis tore it up.

[hova-]

Haven't been posting a lot recently, because I'm not so into the whole NLSC tourney (I guess because I missed to be in there). Still, great job on this D. Hope you get one with the Rockets soon.

[Stress Fracture]

Would I appear as the Vipers' play-by-play announcer again?

[Axel The Great]

Why did I think picking Wall as my teammate was a good idea?

Maybe you were sober when you picked him?

Valdis tore it up.

That he did. Shame his teammate Chauncey couldn't do the same.

Haven't been posting a lot recently, because I'm not so into the whole NLSC tourney (I guess because I missed to be in there). Still, great job on this D. Hope you get one with the Rockets soon.

You can be in the NLSC tourney for next season. As I told Cruzerr, the 2012 draft class is full but there are some in it whom I haven't seen in a long time. You can send the application, and I'll insert you in it. And I will be going on with the Rockets soon.

EDIT: Application is here in case you want to submit an NLSC Draftee.

Would I appear as the Vipers' play-by-play announcer again?

You're a basketball player in this virtual world, remember?

[Axel The Great]

Rio Grande Valley Vipers 101-86 Tulsa 66ers


The 2011 D-League Finals MVP, Ishmael Smith

After winning Game 1 at Rio Grande Valley by a score of 120-103, the Vipers were in Tulsa to try to close out the Finals series for a repeat. A close, intense game was expected, as the Tulsa 66ers definitely felt the pressure of winning in this game, and also considering that this is a Finals rematch of last year. That close and intense game never came.

It was Rio Grande right from the start, as they pushed to a double-digit lead early on, led by Ishmael Smith. Smith had four assists in the first quarter, as always becoming the center piece of the Vipers' offense. Smith would finish the game with a team high 19 points and a game high 10 assists. Rio Grande pushed to a 34-18 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Tulsa's Doug Martin and Evan Oliver had their way in scoring, as they both had 29 and 25 respectively. They were the only ones who brought forth the effort offensively, as no one else from Tulsa scored in double figures.

"We didn't get an even, well spread out contribution from everyone and that is the main reason for the loss. We had a two-man offense out there," said Oliver, who scored three triples, missing none.

In contrast to Tulsa, RGV had good contributions from not just Smith, but also the league's leading scorer Ed Jacobs, Matt Janning, and Jared Gordon. Jacobs scored 18 and grabbed six boards, Janning scored 16, while going 7/10 from the field, but also contributed seven boards and four assists. Gordon had 11 points, seven boards and four assists.

RGV also dominated on the inside, grabbing 54 rebounds compared to Tulsa's 43, and shot 46% from the field. Grant Cross of RGV had a game high 13 boards, and was just a point away from the double-double.

Tulsa did not bring the effort offensively to have threatened RGV's double-digit lead, shooting just 41% from the field.

And with that, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers follow up with a repeat after last season's sweep over the same Tulsa 66ers. Ishmael Smith was named Finals MVP averaging 17 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds and shooting 43% from the field for the series.

"Ultimately, I think this helps my resume when NBA teams take a closer look at what I've done and whether or not I should play for them. The ultimate goal is to move up to an NBA team and look to crack the team's rotation. Whether it's the Houston Rockets, or any other team, I'm working to one day play in the big league," were Smith's words after the championship presentation.

With the success that RGV had this season, will their NBA affiliate Houston Rockets deliver a title as well?

[Bucket]

Rockets and title?
Nice win, Smith is a Rocket now?

[Axel The Great]

Valdis, if you look at the reality of this virtual world, a title for us isn't so far-fetched or laughable. Remember, we're 57-23 (before this update) and first seed ahead of teams like OKC, LA, SAS, etc (heck, we've even given the Lakers some well-deserved spankings). And it's a long shot until Ish can crack the rotation. An injury to someone in our backcourt would have to happen for him to be called up.

[57-23] Houston Rockets 96-98 Dallas Mavericks [48-32]


K-Mart posterizes Dallas' bigs.

Jason Terry with one of his four triples. | Dirk taking over in the fourth quarter.

Despite trailing the entire game, the Dallas Mavericks were able to force a 17-7 rally to start the final period and catch up to the Rockets. Dallas started the game off very poorly, shooting below 40% from the field and scoring a sub-par 14 first quarter points. They got their act together in the second half after scoring 30 second quarter points, to narrow Houston's deficit down to four going into the half. Jason Terry scored three of his four triples in the second quarter to give the Mavs a huge boost offensively. Terry finished with 28 points, shooting 4/8 from outside.

Despite the momentum swinging to Dallas' side in the second quarter, Jason Kidd could not get it going. The veteran guard scored nothing, going 0/5 from the field, but he did contribute seven boards and 10 assists.

Meanwhile, Houston was able to catch a firm grip on the lead in the third quarter. They outscored Dallas 28-24 for the quarter, pulling together a run near the end of the period to swing the momentum to their side. Things got interesting in the fourth quarter.

Dirk Nowitzki and Terry led a fourth quarter rally to tie the game at 83, and from then on, both teams traded buckets. Nowitzki had a double-double of 30 points and 10 boards for the game, and his outside jumpshot was unguardable in the last few minutes of the game.

With the score 98-93, Luis Scola, whom was perfect at the foul line to that point, split a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to just four. Dallas missed on their next offensive trip, and Kevin Martin converted on a tough layup at the other end, to make the score 98-96. With 31 seconds left in the game, Dallas ran down the clock, but at the price of having Dirk Nowitzki rush up a shot and miss, in which there was only seven seconds remaining.

Realizing a fast break opportunity, Rick Adelman opted not to take the team's final timeout and get a basket in transition. Aaron Brooks sprinted the ball upcourt, and dished it to Kevin Martin. Martin had a team high 29 points for the game, pulled up for a shot over Nowitzki, but barely just got the unfriendly bounce at the buzzer as Dallas wins a close one in Houston. The Rockets still win the season series, however, at 3-1.

Player of the Game-

Dirk Nowitzki
30 points | 10 rebounds | 3 assists | 3 steals | 2 blocks | 14/28 FG

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 29 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 12/24 FG
Luis Scola - 22 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 7/14 FG, 8/9 FT
Yao Ming - 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 5/7 FG
Aaron Brooks - 10 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 3/10 FG
Shane Battier - 5 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 2/7 FG

Mavericks:
Jason Terry - 28 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 3 steals, 10/18 FG, 4/8 3P
Caron Butler - 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 6/15 FG
Jason Kidd - 0 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, 0/5 FG

24 24 28 20 96
14 30 24 30 98

[57-24] Houston Rockets 113-107 Minnesota Timberwolves [33-48]


Martin delivers a dagger dunk to silence Minnesota once and for all. | Yao: Officially in full playoff gear.

Wesley Johnson and Michael Beasley gave the Rockets a fair bit of trouble, not going away despite a double-digit deficit.

From what the Rockets saw in this game, the Minnesota Timberwolves have a bright future ahead with head coach Don Nelson calling the shots. Houston had a 16-point lead at one point in the second quarter, shooting over 50% from the field. Near the end of the half, Minnesota tightened up their defense and whittled down the deficit to 11 going into halftime. Notable was Kevin Love's foul trouble, as he had two early fouls in the first and picked up his third early in the second quarter. He saw just 27 minutes of action, becoming a non-factor in the first half.

Despite having the momentum, Minnesota saw the lead grow back up to 18, but then they came back with a vengeance. Michael Beasley and Wesley Johnson led the way as they scored 26 and 29 respectively. Johnson hit four triples, missing none, as Minnesota scored 38 points in the third quarter alone. Houston had a slight 81-78 lead going into the final period.

Johnson continued the onslaught of points, scoring 13 of his 29 in the final period. Minnesota regained the lead a few minutes into the fourth quarter, but held it for a brief period. Back came a rally by Houston to put them up by double-digits. Johnson just would not go down as he helped trim the double-digit deficit down to two at 107-105 with a triple. That's as close as Minnesota would get to the lead however, as the Rockets smooth-sailed the last few seconds with free throws to put the Timberwolves to sleep.

Kevin Martin had a game high 31 points, while Yao Ming gave him good help with 16, and Luis Scola had 19. Minnesota's bench outscored Houston's 44-25. Houston shot 47% from the field, while Minnesota shot 46%. Houston finish the season 58-24, which ties the franchise record held by the 1993-94 Houston Rockets, whom were led by none other than all-time great Hakeem Olajuwon.

Player of the Game-

Kevin Martin
31 points | 6 rebounds | 3 assists | 1 block | 12/21 FG | 2/3 3P | 5/5 FT

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Luis Scola - 19 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 6/14 FG, 7/8 FT
Yao Ming - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 7/12 FG
Aaron Brooks - 12 points, 4 assists, 1 rebound, 4/14 FG
Shane Battier - 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 5/6 FG

Timberwolves:
Wesley Johnson - 29 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 12/20 FG, 4/4 3P
Michael Beasley - 26 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 11/20 FG
Jonny Flynn - 12 points, 14 assists, 8 rebounds, 2/7 FG, 7/8 FT
Luke Ridnour - 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 5/12 FG
Kevin Love - 9 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 4/6 FG

28 23 30 32 113
21 19 38 29 107

[Bucket]

Axel., Sure Rockets 58-24 can win a title, but remember there is a virtual overrated cHeat with LeQuit.
Nice win against Wolves and Johnson with almost 30 points
Typical old Kidd in 2k11, 0 points but almost 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

[George7]

Oh,so close on stealing this one from the Mavs!I should have gotten the timeout though and try an isolation play with K-Mart on the end...
But nice job winning hte other one.

[karlsanada10]

Ohh...heart-breaking lost.

[kibaxx7]

Tough loss man, Dirk still on fire from real life

Hey Ax, you getting any troubles with Photobucket? The other day they say "unlimited storage and bandwidth" and now I have the "exceeded bandwidth" message.

[Nutellar]

Tough loss against the Mavericks, so you played all 82 Games? Looking forward to the post season, who will be your first opponent?

[Houndy]

Jet and Dirk were clutch (as usual )

[Cruzerr]

Nice win, but a really tough loss. I will be routing for you in the playoffs. Jonny Flynns game was :O

[hova-]

Tough loss vs my Mavs. Dirk's jumper is unblockable. Good to see Terry in postseason shape. 58 wins is pretty sick for the Rockets. Looking for a great Playoff run.

[Axel The Great]

Axel., Sure Rockets 58-24 can win a title, but remember there is a virtual overrated cHeat with LeQuit.
Nice win against Wolves and Johnson with almost 30 points
Typical old Kidd in 2k11, 0 points but almost 10 rebounds and 10 assists.

LeQuit chokes without a sim engine. And yeah, it's so easy to stop Kidd from scoring, but it's damn hard to stop him from doing other things.

Oh,so close on stealing this one from the Mavs!I should have gotten the timeout though and try an isolation play with K-Mart on the end...
But nice job winning hte other one.

I like fast break opportunities, which is why I didn't call a timeout, but I kinda regret not calling it now. With the K-Mart-Dirk mismatch I probably should've taken it to the rim, but I thought I didn't have enough time. Well, at least the first seed is clinched, so that loss doesn't matter.

Ohh...heart-breaking lost.

In terms of being close to winning the game, yes, it is pretty heartbreaking. But in general, we still have the first seed going into the playoffs, so as long as we continue in full gear in the playoffs, I'm not too concerned about that loss.

Tough loss man, Dirk still on fire from real life

Hey Ax, you getting any troubles with Photobucket? The other day they say "unlimited storage and bandwidth" and now I have the "exceeded bandwidth" message.

Yep. He was very hard to stop in the fourth quarter and I wonder how he will do in the playoffs here. And it's probably photobucket continuing with their unexplained grudge against you, Thierry.

Tough loss against the Mavericks, so you played all 82 Games? Looking forward to the post season, who will be your first opponent?

I didn't play all 82 games. Probably simmed 3-4 along the way. I don't like simming games because the sim engine always tends to favor Brooks over Martin in scoring for some reason.

As for my opponent, I know who it is, but I'm not giving it away just yet. Just know it's a tie between the Clippers and the Hornets (both tied for 8th at 43-39).

Jet and Dirk were clutch (as usual )

By as usual, you may mean from just this year.

Nice win, but a really tough loss. I will be routing for you in the playoffs. Jonny Flynns game was :O

I hate how Flynn's a mediocre player in RL, but in 2K he's a Kidd-type player (w/ athleticism).

Tough loss vs my Mavs. Dirk's jumper is unblockable. Good to see Terry in postseason shape. 58 wins is pretty sick for the Rockets. Looking for a great Playoff run.

No use contesting that J either, he can make his J's in traffic. I too, am hoping for a deep playoff run.

So next is a season review for each individual team, just to let you guys know how the season went for teams other than the Rockets.

[Axel The Great]

The NBA Season in Reivew

The 65th regular season of the NBA has gone by, and many things have happened that take interest. From the Lakers' sudden fall from the top of the standings to a surprising winning season for the Clippers, to a marvelous 16-game win streak by the Chicago Bulls, there was plenty of action to go around in the 2010-11 NBA regular season. Great things are expected looking ahead to the playoffs. For now though, let's back-track and review each team's season starting with the Eastern Conference:

Atlantic Division


Boston Celtics
Record: 59-23
PPG: 102.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 93.8
Scoring Leader: Paul Pierce (19.3 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Kevin Garnett (11.2 rpg)
Assists Leader: Rajon Rondo (10.9 apg)

Surprising was Boston's run back to the NBA Finals last season after their slide near the end of the regular season. They've proven that last year's run to the Finals was no fluke, as they clinched top record in the entire league, with Paul Pierce averaging 19.3 points, while Kevin Garnett had a monster and unexpected season averaging a double-double of 15.6 points and 11.2 rebounds. Ray Allen (15 ppg) also stepped into the limelight by breaking Reggie Miller's all-time record in three-pointers made, finishing the season with 155 three-point field goals made, and 2,599 made for his career. And not to be left out is Rajon Rondo, who also averaged a double-double of 14.1 points and 10.9 assists (league leader). Where Boston has concerns however, is at the Center position. After trading away Kendrick Perkins, Shaquille O'Neal suffered a season-ending Torn MCL, and are now stuck with the corpse of Jermaine O'Neal as a starter. Only time will tell how that void at the five will shape their playoffs future.


New Jersey Nets
Record: 26-56
PPG: 92.7
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.1
Scoring Leader: Deron Williams (22.3 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Brook Lopez (8.3 rpg)
Assists Leader: Deron Williams (8.5 apg)

Things obviously couldn't get any worse than 12-70 for New Jersey, and in fact, with the acquisition of Deron Williams, they can only get better. However, despite acquiring him, the Nets weren't able to win more than 10 games after the trade, finishing 26-56, second to last in the conference. Judging how badly last season went for them, I'm sure they'll take the 26 wins without complaint. No depth and lack of good starters at the wings are areas in which New Jersey will probably want to improve on in the coming seasons, and if they can lock up Williams long term and keep their big man Brook Lopez, New Jersey's future looks very bright.


New York Knicks
Record: 46-36
PPG: 103.0
Points Allowed Per Game: 99.9
Scoring Leader: Carmelo Anthony (25.0 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Amar'e Stoudemire (9.4 rpg)
Assists Leader: Chauncey Billups (7.8 apg)

With one of the best scoring duos in the league, the New York Knicks didn't dominate as planned. Still, they finished with a winning record, something that hasn't happened in a few years in New York. The Knicks have Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire locked in place for the next few years, so finding the right pieces to put around that duo should be the Knicks' next task. Anthony averaged 25 points and Stoudemire added 22 points, and veteran point guard Chauncey Billups added a career high 19.6 points. Anthony Randolph also stepped into the limelight by averaging 12.7 points off the bench, and undrafted rookie Landry Fields led all guards in rebounding at 7.2 a game, and also added 10 points. The playoffs come back to Madison Square Garden, and Knicks fans have a lot to be excited about not just because of this, but a positive future seems to be in store for the franchise.


Philadelphia 76ers
Record: 29-53
PPG: 96.2
Points Allowed Per Game: 102.5
Scoring Leader: Andre Iguodala (18.7 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Elton Brand (7.6 rpg)
Assists Leader: Jrue Holiday (6.9 ppg)

Definitely not the season that Philly expected. Injuries to Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand early on in the season broke any hopes of getting a rhythm. They did show flashes of potential near the end of the season, as they made a sudden jump from second to last in the East, to 11th. Rookie Evan Turner was excellent for the 76ers, coming second in the team in scoring at 13.4, and picked up a fair amount of rebounds at 5.2 a game. He also suffered key injuries mid-season, which cut some of his production short. After another bad season, Philadelphia must hope for a healthy season next season to be able to compete for the playoffs.


Toronto Raptors
Record: 24-58
PPG: 93.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 104.9
Scoring Leader: Leandro Barbosa (19.0 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Ed Davis (8.3 rpg)
Assists Leader: Jose Calderon (7.4 apg)

Acquiring Leandro Barbosa in the offseason was huge for Toronto it turns out, as he led the team in scoring. Andrea Bargnani shook off some of the labels as him being 'soft' as he averaged career highs of 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. However, his shooting percentages are still mighty low for a frontcourt player, shooting 43% from the field, 30% from outside, and he also averaged a career high 2 turnovers per game. His scoring dropped a bit from last season, but he averaged a respectable 16.8 points per game. What this team still lacks is defense, and a go-to-guy to close out games, which explains their league-worst record. With Jay Triano fired and a new coach in town, one must wonder what's next for Toronto.

Central Division


Chicago Bulls
Record: 51-31
PPG: 98.0
Points Allowed Per Game: 92.9
Scoring Leader: Derrick Rose (28.9 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Joakim Noah (9.3 rpg)
Assists Leader: Derrick Rose (7.8 apg)

The Chicago Bulls have gone from a playoff contending team, to a title contending team in just one year. The improvement of Derrick Rose and the defensive system of coach Tom Thibodeau have been the two biggest factors. The Bulls allowed a league low 92.9 points per game this season, and with that kind of suffocating defense, it allowed them to go on a 16-game win streak (the longest win streak league wide this season) near the end of the season before it came to an end against the Boston Celtics. Carlos Boozer did not live up very much to his 20 points, 10 rebounds reputation, but he did contribute 18.8 points and 8.8 rebounds, which is close enough. And one must not forget Luol Deng's season. Deng averaged 17.9 points, becoming an excellent third option on offense, and added 7.2 rebounds. Chicago is looking to make a deep playoff run, and if their 16-game win streak is anything to go by, it can happen.


Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 27-55
PPG: 95.4
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.2
Scoring Leader: Antawn Jamison (21.5 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Antawn Jamison (9.0 rpg)
Assists Leader: Baron Davis (6.5 apg)

Antawn Jamison has taken over in Cleveland. After everyone thought he'd had his moment in this league, he led this team on offense, averaging 21.5 points, and adding 9 rebounds, staying healthy all season. But the big story for Cleveland has to be the sudden breakout season of JJ Hickson. The third-year player averaged career highs of 18.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks. A big part of this has to do with a huge increase in minutes, and now Hickson is in the talks for Most Improved Player. Cleveland may have had a bad season, but if they can acquire big pieces in the draft and in the offseason, they could be back in the playoffs in no time.


Detroit Pistons
Record: 33-49
PPG: 95.7
Points Allowed Per Game: 100.0
Scoring Leader: Ben Gordon (19.8 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Ben Wallace (8.5 ppg)
Assists Leader: Tracy McGrady (4.1 apg)

The BIG story in Detroit is Tracy McGrady's revival. For the first time in his career, T-Mac played all 82 games in a season, averaging 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists off the bench for Detroit. He is in big talks for sixth man of the year, as he has taken over the point guard duties for the Pistons. Ben Gordon has lived up to his contract, as he led the team in scoring at 19.8. Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton averaged 13 and 11.3 respectively. This may be the peak of this aging roster, as Gordon and McGrady were the only two positives for the Pistons this season. Detroit just don't seem to have the right pieces to make the playoffs. The plan may be to build through the draft, as Greg Monroe is sitting on the end of Detroit's bench waiting for opportunity to knock, and they will have to make good use of their lottery pick in this year's draft.


Indiana Pacers
Record: 41-41
PPG: 102.5
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.3
Scoring Leader: Danny Granger (26.0 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Roy Hibbert (9.7 rpg)
Assists Leader: Darren Collison (6.8 apg)

The Indiana Pacers are back in the playoffs, all thanks to Danny Granger and Darren Collison. Granger averaged a career highs of 26 points, 2 steals, and 1.4 blocks. Meanwhile, Collison had 19 points, and 6.8 assists, and to finish it off, Roy Hibbert averaged a near double-double of 12.5 points and 9.7 rebounds. Things are looking good going forward for this young squad; adding depth is the next move to move up in the standings.


Milwaukee Bucks
Record: 37-45
PPG: 101.4
Points Allowed Per Game: 102.2
Scoring Leader: Brandon Jennings (18.1 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Andrew Bogut (11.3 rpg)
Assists Leader: Brandon Jennings (7.3 apg)

After an excellent regular season last season, the Milwaukee Bucks have disappointed by not making the playoffs. It all started with a bad start; the players were not liking head coach Scott Skiles' system, leading to a 10-game losing streak. Skiles was sacked, and his replacement was the all-time great Patrick Ewing. Things still didn't quite seem to work out still, but Brandon Jennings saw a good improvement. He shot 40% from the field compared to last year's horrendous 37%, and he has begun to pass the ball a lot more which is notable with his 7.3 assists. Andrew Bogut is still being hampered with bad injuries. He only managed to play 57 games, averaging 13.4 points and 11.3 rebounds, but shooting a slightly below-par 49% from the field. Corey Maggette and John Salmons averaged 16.7 and 14 points respectively, while Michael Redd came back to play all 82 games off the bench and averaged 13.1 points for Milwaukee. It seems as if Bogut will need to remain healthy for the Bucks to go back to the playoffs, but with some rising Eastern Conference teams, that will be hard to accomplish.

Southeast Division


Atlanta Hawks
Record: 47-35
PPG: 101.9
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.9
Scoring Leader: Joe Johnson (23.6 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Al Horford (10.7 rpg)
Assists Leader: Joe Johnson (6.2 apg)

The Atlanta Hawks had a huge scoring punch with Joe Johnson's 23.6 points and Jamal Crawford's 22.4 points. Johnson also added 6.2 assists and 4.4 rebounds to his statline. Atlanta's frontcourt of Al Horford and Josh Smith has also been big. Horford added 12.9 points and 10.7 rebounds, while Smith is a perennial candidate for Defensive Player of the Year averaging 15.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 2.2 steals, and 1.7 blocks. His all-around play has been a key factor for the Hawks, who look to finally get past the second round of the playoffs this season.


Charlotte Bobcats
Record: 41-41
PPG: 91.1
Points Allowed Per Game: 93.7
Scoring Leader: Stephen Jackson (23.0 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Tyrus Thomas (7.8 rpg)
Assists Leader: Stephen Jackson (4.1 apg)

How do you make the playoffs despite being the lowest-scoring team in the league? Play defense. The Charlotte Bobcats were second in lowest points allowed per game, all thanks to coach Larry Brown's defensive system. After trading away their star player Gerald Wallace, Stephen Jackson was left to run Charlotte's offense, and he averaged 23 points, 5.1 rebounds (both career highs), 4.1 assists, and 2 steals. Tyrus Thomas' emergence was also big for Charlotte, as he averaged 16.9 points, 7.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.7 blocks. Charlotte hopes to get its first franchise playoff win this season, but it will be hard as they are facing the Boston Celtics.


Miami Heat
Record: 55-27
PPG: 103.6
Points Allowed Per Game: 95.6
Scoring Leader: LeBron James (27.3 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Chris Bosh (8.3 rpg)
Assists Leader: LeBron James (6.4 apg)

While they did not win 70 games this season, the Miami Heat had a solid season nonetheless, getting an MVP-caliber season from LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. They played a third wheel to the Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics in terms of most dominant teams and offensive efficiency, but they are the most versatile of the three. James averaged 27.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 2.5 steals while Wade averaged 24 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 2.1 steals. To round it all out, Chris Bosh averaged 22.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, and Mike Miller averaged 7.3 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. You can bet the Heat will turn it up in the playoffs, and with such a versatile roster, they will be hard to stop.


Orlando Magic
Record: 47-35
PPG: 100.8
Points Allowed Per Game: 97.7
Scoring Leader: Dwight Howard (19.0 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Dwight Howard (12.1 rpg)
Assists Leader: Gilbert Arenas (5.5 apg)

Tis' the season for rejuvenation of former stars. Gilbert Arenas is the next player that fits that category. He averaged 18.2 points, 5.5 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals this season, taking over the point guard duty after Jameer Nelson's devastating season-ending injury (Torn Patellar Tendon). The Orlando Magic led the league in three-pointers made, and were top five in three-point percentage. Jason Richardson averaged 16.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals to become the third wheel in the Magic's offense. Despite not having the wins to show it, the Magic look like a team that can get back to the Conference Finals, if they can get past their division rivals the Atlanta Hawks in the first round.


Washington Wizards
Record: 28-54
PPG: 95.3
Points Allowed Per Game: 101.9
Scoring Leader: John Wall (17.9 ppg)
Rebounds Leader: Andray Blatche (9.1 rpg)
Assists Leader: John Wall (7.8 apg)

A devastating Torn Hand Ligament ended John Wall's season, limiting him to 59 games his rookie season. That's when the Washington Wizards took a plunge. Wall was a perennial candidate for Rookie of the Year, but with his downfall, someone else had to take over. That someone was Andray Blatche. Blatche averaged career highs of 16 points, 9.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.4 blocks in 82 games. To run Washington's offense, Rafer Alston was signed and averaged 9 points, 7.4 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 16 games for the Wizards. To get back to the playoffs, Washington must add better pieces to build around Wall and Blatche, as those two look like promising players with high potential.

[George7]

Great job for the Bulls!3rd seed in the East is pretty good
Now wishing for a deep postseason!