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

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Re: Shutting Down the Small Markets [17-5]

Postby hova- on Wed Dec 28, 2011 11:13 pm

Never thought of Detroit as a small market ... still great wins.
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Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby Axel The Great on Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:37 am

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Part I

[17-5] Houston Rockets 94-96 Chicago Bulls [13-9]

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Kevin Martin double posterizes Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer. | Nobody else backed up Martin in scoring in this game.
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Derrick Rose didn't play like his usual self this game, but he did notch a double-double. | Boozer hitting the game-winning free throws.


"One of the more exciting games the Rockets have had in recent weeks," were the words of commentator Marv Albert after the TNT broadcast of this game.

And true to that, neither team got a hold of a double-digit lead this game, and there were many lead changes throughout the course of this one. Houston started the game off well going on a 10-2 run midway through the first period as they were led by Luis Scola who scored eight points in the period. Chicago answered with a three-pointer by Kyle Korver, and Luol Deng helped to give the Bulls the lead at the end of the period. Kevin Martin took some time to get into it as he was held to 2/6 shooting and seven points in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Yao Ming became the go-to-guy as he scored Houston's first six points in the period, as both teams continued to trade blows. Deng had an unreal first half as he had 14 points on 6/7 shooting at halftime, but despite that, Houston had a slight one point lead at the break.

After a rough start to the second half, Coach Rick Adelman subbed in Martin and he went to work immediately. He scored 14 points in the third quarter alone, knocking down a couple of three-pointers and did not allow Chicago to stretch their lead. An emphatic alley-oop slam by Martin gave the Rockets the lead again 66-65, and it was a lead they would hold for the next handful of minutes.

For the Bulls, Deng continued to score at an extremely efficient pace, with his shooting numbers amounting to 11/12, good for 24 points going into the fourth quarter. He however, would slow down in the final period, one that came down to the wire.

The Rockets got a hold of a seven point lead in the fourth, but behind Taj Gibson, who scored 16 points off the bench, the Bulls came stampeding back. Korver gave the Bulls the lead with a three, 90-89, and after a forced turnover, Derrick Rose finished a breakaway slam to make it 92-89. Just when it seemed the game had a momentum swing, Martin answered back with an emphatic one-handed jam plus the foul on Deng and Boozer. Martin made the free throw to tie it at 92.

With a minute and a half left in the game, Martin made an uncontested layup to put the Rockets up 94-92, as the Bulls called a timeout. On the next possession, Rose made a tough fadeaway jumpshot to tie the game, but the Rockets could not convert on their next possession. After another timeout, Boozer drove in on Scola and was fouled. He made both free throws to give the Bulls a two point lead.

Off a timeout, Martin was given the ball. He got the mismatch he wanted with Joakim Noah in front of him. He got enough space for a decent jumpshot but got the unlucky bounce at the buzzer as Chicago held on to steal a win on the road from Houston.

Notes: Chicago's offense was superior to that of Houston's this game. The Bulls shot 50% and had 28 assists and also won the battle on the glass 47-37. Houston shot 42% against the best defensive team in the league, and had a sub-par 18 assists. Houston however, forced the turnovers as they had 14 steals, 15 turnovers forced from Chicago.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 33 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals, 11/23 FG, 2/3 3P, 9/9 FT
Courtney Lee - 12 points, 1 rebound, 1 block, 5/8 FG, 2/3 3P
Luis Scola - 12 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 6/16 FG
Yao Ming - 10 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 5/12 FG
Kyle Lowry - 10 points, 5 assists, 3 steals, 4/7 FG

Bulls:
Luol Deng - 26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 12/18 FG
Taj Gibson - 16 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 7/12 FG
Carlos Boozer - 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/10 FG, 4/4 FT
Derrick Rose - 14 points, 11 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 7/14 FG
Kyle Korver - 8 points, 1 rebound, 3/5 FG, 2/2 3P
Joakim Noah - 8 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block, 3/9 FG

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[17-6] Houston Rockets 114-90 Golden State Warriors [13-8]

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Courtney Lee has had a great week so far. | Dorell Wright doing things for Golden State.


After what was seen in the first quarter, it was speculated that this would be another exciting game at the Toyota Center. Kevin Martin got off to a good start scoring 17 points in the quarter, 24 for the half. Monta Ellis provided for the Warriors' side as he had nine points in the first period, but Houston edged out Golden State for a five point lead at the end of one.

In the second quarter, Houston pulled away towards a double digit lead, going up 45-32 during a three-minute scoring drought from Golden State. They gave it an effort, but the Warriors were down 15 at the half, and things only got worse in the second half.

Houston wrecked Golden State on the boards 61-41, shooting 48% from the field and hitting 18/19 of their free throws. Golden State shot just 39% from the field, not really their usual selves.

"It was a bad night all around. The shots weren't falling and we weren't communicating well. They had us beat on both ends of the floor and hopefully we'll be able to come back next time with more willpower," Warriors Head Coach Keith Smart said.

Martin was the high point man with 32 points on 12/23 shooting, while Dorell Wright top scored for Golden State with 20 points, and showing some defense with three steals and two blocks. Yao Ming had his best game of the season thus far with a double-double of 20 points and 12 rebounds, an effort that was lacking last game against Chicago but appreciated all the same.

To cap off the week, Houston will visit Denver and then come back home for a quick pit stop against San Antonio before going on a West Coast road trip, where they will be facing the Warriors again.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 32 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 12/23 FG, 2/3 3P, 6/7 FT
Yao Ming - 20 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 9/13 FG
Luis Scola - 14 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 4/9 FG, 6/6 FT
Kyle Lowry - 12 points, 8 assists, 1 rebound, 6/13 FG
Courtney Lee - 9 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 4/8 FG

Warriors:
Dorell Wright - 20 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 9/16 FG, 2/4 3P
Monta Ellis - 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 7/22 FG
Stephen Curry - 13 points, 15 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 4/16 FG, 4/4 FT
David Lee - 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 6/13 FG
Enes Kanter - 11 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/12 FG

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Re: Shutting Down the Small Markets [17-5]

Postby Axel The Great on Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:41 am

Lamrock wrote:It's early, but it looks like a championship year if you can stay healthy.

Definitely. (Y) The way Martin's been anchoring the offense, a championship is definitely feasible.
hova- wrote:Never thought of Detroit as a small market ... still great wins.

Thanks. :) Detroit really isn't a small market, yet not as big as LA or Chicago or New York or maybe even Houston. I just couldn't think of a better title. :P

Next will hopefully be the second round of the NLSC Tournament. Just wanna wish everyone an early Happy New Year because I might not be able to log on to the forums until then.
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Re: Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby karlsanada10 on Fri Dec 30, 2011 11:19 am

Advanced Happy new year Axel. And tough loss with the bulls.
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Re: Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby Axel The Great on Tue Jan 03, 2012 6:18 am

It was a close one, but we got back on track by running over the Warriors. :) Should hopefully finish off the week and get the next round of the NLSC Tournament posted tomorrow.
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Re: Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby hova- on Tue Jan 03, 2012 9:56 pm

Happy new year, tough loss vs the Bulls. Problem is, they can hurt you in so many way, even with Rose having an underwhelming night.
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Re: Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby rise on Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:53 am

Deng had a LeBron-like night against you. Similar stats and only two points in the fourth quarter. :lol:
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Re: Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby kibaxx7 on Wed Jan 04, 2012 2:52 am

Courtney Lee helping (Y) He hasn't played this year, right?
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Best of the West Clash [19-7]

Postby Axel The Great on Wed Jan 04, 2012 8:48 am

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Part II

[18-6] Houston Rockets 102-104 Denver Nuggets [19-6]

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Martin continuing to thwart any defense that gets in his way. | Terrence Williams with the sweet reverse layup.
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Wilson Chandler taking the leading role for Denver this game. | But Nene took over in the fourth quarter.


Both teams were relatively even in terms of offense the entire game. Houston shot 47% from the field while Denver shot 46%. They both held on to the ball as they each had less than 10 turnovers, but something one can point to is Denver's ability to get to the foul line and knock down their free throws. The Nuggets went 20/25 from the charity stripe while Houston struggled early on with free throws starting 3/6 in the first quarter and ending up 15/21. While the percentages aren't far off, if Houston had just knocked down a couple more of their free throws the game could have been tied or at least gone another way.

After a high scoring third quarter, Denver got into a roll in the fourth quarter, as Nene scored eight of his 20 points in that period. He was one of three Denver players to reach the 20 mark, as Wilson Chandler (22) and Danilo Gallinari (20) joined him in that rank. Denver's offense ultimately outmatched Houston's as they won the game simply by just outscoring them seeing as how neither team played much defense in the second half.

For Houston, Kevin Martin top scored once again with 33 points on 14/21 shooting. He was accompanied in scoring by Yao Ming and Kyle Lowry with 14 and 13 respectively.

The score reached 104-99 for Denver before Martin scored a final three-pointer with time running out. The Nuggets' lead over the Rockets for top of the West increases, as they move up to 20-6. Houston will go back home to compete with the division rivals, the San Antonio Spurs.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 33 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 14/21 FG, 2/3 3P, 3/5 FT
Yao Ming - 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 blocks, 7/12 FG
Kyle Lowry - 13 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 4/9 FG, 4/4 FT
Courtney Lee - 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4/7 FG, 3/7 3P
Aaron Brooks - 8 points, 4 assists, 2/6 FG, 4/6 FT
Luis Scola - 8 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3/10 FG

Nuggets:
Wilson Chandler - 22 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, 10/18 FG
Nene - 20 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 7/16 FG, 6/6 FT
Danilo Gallinari - 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 8/13 FG, 3/4 FT
Raymond Felton - 13 points, 11 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals, 5/14 FG, 3/4 FT
Arron Afflalo - 10 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 4/7 FG, 2/2 3P

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[18-7] Houston Rockets 107-98 San Antonio Spurs [13-13]

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With Christmas drawing near, Kyle Lowry is in the mood for giving. | Shane Battier's contribution can be easily overlooked.
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Using crafty moves, Tim Duncan found ways to get easy points all game. | It "snowed" threes for Manu Ginobili.


This wasn't the back and forth game that we saw in Denver, but it was still competitive in its own right. Shane Battier started by scoring the first five points for Houston, and he would finish with 11 points on 5/7 shooting, definitely a plus for the Rockets considering his sub-par play in recent games. When it seemed like Houston would edge San Antonio for a bigger lead, they would answer right back. Houston had a six-point lead at the end of one, despite the fact that San Antonio had 10 free throw attempts in the quarter.

Free throws was a big letdown for the Spurs. In the first quarter they hit just 5/10 attempts, and 19/30 (63%) for the game. Houston would race out to a 16 point lead in the second quarter, leading by as many as 18.

With a 16 point margin to overcome, San Antonio had a magical run in the third quarter. They began the quarter on a 12-4 run which was ignited by back-to-back threes by Manu Ginobili. Ginobili had 22 points on the game but on a low 7/21 shooting. San Antonio would go on to score 34 points for the quarter, down by five going into the fourth.

It was seemingly an inevitable comeback for the Spurs, but Courtney Lee made them think twice about that. He scored eight straight points for the Rockets, finishing with 11 points off the bench. That surge was what helped the Rockets slam the door on the Spurs, as Kevin Martin kept them at bay with his game and season high 37 points.

Not to be left out is Tim Duncan, who compared with Martin in scoring with 36 of his own, and he did it on 16/23 shooting. The Spurs came to within seven with a few minutes left, but Houston held on to prevent another disappointing loss.

Notes: Houston shot 48% from the field, San Antonio shot 45%. There was a lot of ball movement with Houston edging San Antonio in the assists department 27-24. Houston took advantage of their free throws going 18/21. Three pointers were essential for the Spurs as they went 7/15 from downtown compared to 7/19 by Houston.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 37 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 11/20 FG, 2/5 3P, 13/13 FT
Yao Ming - 14 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 7/11 FG
Courtney Lee - 11 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 5/11 FG
Luis Scola - 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, 3/11 FG
Shane Battier - 11 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/7 FG
Kyle Lowry - 7 points, 9 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 3/9 FG

Spurs:
Tim Duncan - 36 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3 blocks, 16/23 FG, 4/5 FT
Manu Ginobili - 22 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 7/21 FG, 5/11 3P, 3/4 FT
Gary Neal - 8 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 2/3 FG/3P
Tony Parker - 8 points, 12 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 4/5 FG
George Hill - 7 points, 1 assist, 2 steals, 2/5 FG, 3/6 FT

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Re: Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby Axel The Great on Wed Jan 04, 2012 8:52 am

hova- wrote:Happy new year, tough loss vs the Bulls. Problem is, they can hurt you in so many way, even with Rose having an underwhelming night.

Yep. Deng's big shooting was what kept them in the game, and they somehow found a way to survive in the fourth quarter.
z02 wrote:Deng had a LeBron-like night against you. Similar stats and only two points in the fourth quarter. :lol:

How true, but nobody will get on Deng for not having a fourth quarter.
Thierry • wrote:Courtney Lee helping (Y) He hasn't played this year, right?

He's played every game this year, it's just that he's been under the radar and consistent (around 7-8 points every game) all season long. I really like to see him scoring that much though since Scola was shit these past couple of games. (N)
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Re: Best of the West Clash [19-7]

Postby rise on Wed Jan 04, 2012 9:14 am

Not every day you get to see K-Mart posterize Nene. I liked that pic. :lol:
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Re: Best of the West Clash [19-7]

Postby karlsanada10 on Wed Jan 04, 2012 10:28 am

Wait, did you just sweep the Spurs this season?:))

Kevin Martin for MVP and scoring leader.xD
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Re: Booz'd Up Bulls [18-6]

Postby kibaxx7 on Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:08 pm

Axel. wrote:He's played every game this year, it's just that he's been under the radar and consistent (around 7-8 points every game) all season long. I really like to see him scoring that much though since Scola was shit these past couple of games. (N)


I meant in real life, my bad. Is he injured?
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Re: Best of the West Clash [19-7]

Postby hova- on Wed Jan 04, 2012 7:34 pm

Wow, Denver's really doing well. Tough to see that you've basically lost that game because of your weakness from the line ... Somehow I have the same problem over and over again. Either I shoot ridiculously well from the stripe (like .90) or I just can't hit shit and go below .500.

Anyways, at least a win against the Spurs.
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Re: Best of the West Clash [19-7]

Postby rise on Thu Jan 05, 2012 4:07 am

Thierry • wrote:
Axel. wrote:He's played every game this year, it's just that he's been under the radar and consistent (around 7-8 points every game) all season long. I really like to see him scoring that much though since Scola was shit these past couple of games. (N)


I meant in real life, my bad. Is he injured?
I think he was actually injured yesterday.
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Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst

Postby Axel The Great on Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:45 am

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Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst


Christmas was about a week away and the spirit was definitely there at Rockets headquarters. Employees wore cozy winter clothes and Christmas hats while decorations of reindeer, snowmen, and Christmas lights were found in almost every room and office of the headquarters.

One person whose face didn't show any Christmas spirit, was that of Axel Gomez, the interim General Manager of the Houston Rockets franchise. He was worn out from all the madness of his duties, whether it was scheduling halftime shows for home games to overseeing the team practices, it had been a very stressful month for the young GM.

At ten o' clock and on the verge of calling it a day, Axel had fallen asleep on his desk in the GM's office. He had been out of it for about twenty minutes, and he had even began to drool on the abundance of papers lying around unwanted on his desk. He had just finished talking with the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and the Orlando Magic; he was looking for a way to unload some players out of the roster, most importantly Aaron Brooks and Chase Budinger.

"On one hand, Brooks is a very quick and young point guard and an excellent shooter. Someone who can take over the scoring load for a young team such as my Wolves. A valuable asset and an expiring contract this year. However, I have begun to realize the logjam I've caused at that position on this roster and am not eager to unload players from another position to add to that logjam. Thank you for the offer, but no thank you," Timberwolves GM David Kahn had told him in response to his offer of Aaron Brooks and Chase Budinger for Darko Milicic and a first round draft pick for next year. "And in addition, I like what Darko brings to the table," he added.

That had been the last straw, and in frustration, Axel had put his head down and snoozed away, willing to get away from the stress he had had the past month.

Meanwhile, the phones in the secretary offices were ringing away. Adriana, head secretary of the headquarters, was answering away, with a very exhausted look on her face. She had one particular call from a voice she recognized. It was the voice of the actual Rockets GM, Daryl Morey.

"Hello, Rockets headquarters, this is Adriana speaking how can I help you?" she said in a fake enthusiastic voice.

"Adriana, how are you? This is Daryl Morey speaking!" Morey said in a loud voice.

"Oh! Mr. Morey! I'm doing pretty well, how are you coming along? Will you be back soon?" Adriana gasped.

"Unfortunately I won't. The doctor says I was extremely lucky to survive such an atrocious hit from a semi-truck. My ribs were bruised and cracked, the impact hyper-extended my left knee, and broke my left arm. I am still unable to walk, but hopefully in a few months' time, I will be able to come to work again," Morey said.

"That's good news, at least it didn't put you out of action permanently. I hope you're back soon enough," Adriana responded. What excitement she had when Morey had called was now gone.

"So how are things going over there? How is Axel running things, is it too stressful for him, is he helpless without me?" Morey asked, a greedy look on his face forming at the thought of his assistant not being able to handle the top spot of the franchise.

"Well to be honest, the way he has ran the franchise has been the same, arguably better. But the problem is that none of us like him anymore. Ever since he was named the interim GM, he has been a completely different person," Adriana said.

"What's changed? Is he not the same prankster that he's always been? Does he not mess around with the employees anymore, what's wrong?" Morey asked.

"Well, he's just not the same fun and cool guy he used to be. He's really rough with the employees. If he sees they're not working, he yells at them, gives them lectures, threatens them, and says other mean things. And even if they are working, he still bothers the crap out of them. I can't count how many times I've been busy with paperwork and the phones at the same time, and he tells me off for letting the phone ring too long or not getting the paperwork done. I can only do one thing at one time! And then he gives me a lecture on multi-tasking! Even worse, he never warns us when he's going home, so he unexpectedly pops in and out and probably never takes a day off and then we have to suffer this every single workday," Adriana said, rolling her eyes.

"Haha, I guess that gives you second thoughts about being 'friends' with him, right?" Morey asked laughing.

"Oh, shut up," Adriana said in defense, blushing.

"Has he fired anyone?" Morey asked in curiosity, continuing the conversation.

"Yeah, he's fired about two or three people for talking back to him. That really got everyone else scared and so they obey his every command so the same doesn't happen to them. We all miss you, Mr. Morey, and we want you back as soon as possible," Adriana said.

"What about the players, how does he treat them?"

"A lot more rough. Rick Adelman complained to me the other day that it's as if he's the actual coach of the team. He's the one yelling at Chase Budinger for letting Thabo slip by him for a dunk, or yelling at Brooks for turning the ball over so much in practice. He even seems to treat Kevin Martin, his idol, pretty rough too."

"And what does Les think of him? Does he approve of what he's done or does he just not pay attention because he knows he can get the job done like he does with me? Or is he on the same boat as you guys?" continued Morey, another greedy look on his face.

"Are you kidding me? Les Alexander loves him. He says Axel is the best thing to happen to the franchise ever since the Kevin Martin trade! We've all tried filing complaints about Axel to him and he just says 'he's doing it for the good of the franchise'" Adriana mocked the Rockets owner in a deep voice "I guess he just likes the authoritarian way he runs things."

"Sounds like it's been rough for you guys in my time away. Well Adriana, it was nice talking to you and getting an update on my franchise, hope you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. The doctors are coming for the daily checkup, so it's time for me to hang up," Morey said.

"Thank you Mr. Morey, and a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too. I hope you recover soon enough so you can end this dark reign that's going on here," Adriana replied.

"Bye," they said in unison, and hung up.


• • • • • • • • • •


Still continuing to try and unload Aaron Brooks and Chase Budinger and also working out a contract extension for Courtney Lee, Axel did not notice Jerome and Dao, two friends of his and secret spies, somehow sneaking in through the window in his office which was on the third floor.

"So we got some updates for you over Mystery Monster Truck," Jerome told Axel. His sudden, loud and energetic voice made Axel jump, and he stopped what he was doing to turn around and look at them.

"I still need to figure out how you guys sneak in through the window. I wonder if anyone has ever noticed a black guy and Asian guy climbing to the third floor of a building. If I were an outsider, I'd get pretty suspicious," Axel told the both of them.

"We ninjas, foo', nobody ever seen us and if they do, they oughta keep quiet if they know what's good for 'em," Jerome replied.

"So what's the update?" Axel asked, changing the subject.

"We have three suspects so far in our mystery. These are all people we think had something against Morey," Dao said. "They are Brad Halstead, that player you drafted that's currently in the D-League. Thabo Sefolosha, who claims that he's not happy here in Houston. And you," Dao continued, to which Axel let out an unconvinced and skeptical laugh.

"Me? Really? Who's the guy paying you to investigate this in the first place? If I had something to hide, I would never have had you trying to go Scooby-Doo here," Axel said, with a bit of anger thrown in.

"We have investigated to the extreme. And by the extreme I mean the extreme. We've asked many people awkward questions. We've had people get suspicious about us and give us dirty looks," Jerome said. "We suspect you because we think you were after Morey's job and the only way you'd be promoted right away would be if he died. Of course, he didn't die fortunately, but I hope you've had a good time being the main boss," Jerome said. "And if it was you, we won't tell no one, big boss" he added, winking.

"Don't be an idiot. It wasn't me. Sure I don't get along with him, but I'm not the one about to wish death on someone else. And plus, it couldn't be me, I was in the office when he was hit, and I don't even know how to drive a semi truck," Axel said. As Jerome was about to open his mouth, Axel added, "And don't think I paid or ordered someone to do it either. This job really is not something I'd kill to have, it just isn't."

"Moving on, I guess we can scratch you from our list, then," Dao said. "Next we got Brad, who we think did it to get payback on Morey for bashing him in front of the media."

"Yeah, Morey did go a little too far in that, calling him lazy and a pot head and all that. You should definitely investigate him a little closer. But also, why Thabo? He seems like a really cool guy to me. I've had him complain about playing time and I've told him that I'm working on it," Axel replied.

"Well Thabo's just the shoe in so we can make it three suspects because three is a good number," Jerome said. "We think he thinks he was separated from the 'family' that he had in OKC, you know, Durant, Westbrook, Ibaka and all them. And with the lack of playing time, he wants a trade, but Morey never even considered trading him, and we even witnessed Morey telling him to rot on the bench."

"But that's an extreme way to get back at a guy for just one insult. I'd scratch Thabo off the list, I know it just can't be him. Knowing you two racist idiots, it would probably be because he's European," Axel said sarcastically.

The door of Axel's office opened, and there stood the owner of the Rockets, Leslie Alexander. He looked from Jerome and Dao to Axel, and smiled.

"Friends of yours?" Alexander asked.

"Assistants I've hired, sir," Axel replied.

"And why wasn't I informed of this?" Alexander asked, puzzled.

"It's nothin' related to the Rockets, really. We just here to congratulate him on his promotion to GM, a month late, but better late than never," Jerome said, putting on his signature smile that seemed to convince everyone.

"Well he's just interim GM, but I say it was about time he was given the top spot; he's done such a great job in one year. Well Mr. Axel, I hope you continue to work hard, don't let these guys distract you. Do your thing." Alexander gave Axel the thumbs up, and went away.

"It was about time you were given the top spot," Dao quoted Alexander once he was out of earshot. "Very suspicious claim."

"Please don't imply that you think it was him. What would he have to gain from attempting to murder Morey? He loves him almost as much as he loves me, and he's the owner. He makes a shit load of money so he's not gaining anything," Axel said. When he looked around, Jerome and Dao were climbing back out the window.

"You sure as hell can't trust no one when you investigating," Jerome said. "We about to do some investigatin' on him."

"I'm not paying you for that. You'll be wasting your time. I'll be sure to give Brad Halstead a call though, and see if I can get anything out of him," Axel said, but when he had finished, Jerome and Dao had jumped out the window, and after a screeching of tires, they were gone.
Last edited by Axel The Great on Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Best of the West Clash [19-7]

Postby Axel The Great on Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:52 am

z02 wrote:Not every day you get to see K-Mart posterize Nene. I liked that pic. :lol:

Agreed, it's a really good pic. But I've pretty much taken pics of Martin posterizing almost the entire league this season, 2K gives him quite a bit of athleticism. :shock:
karlsanada10 wrote:Wait, did you just sweep the Spurs this season?:))

Kevin Martin for MVP and scoring leader.xD

Nope. Pretty sure we've split the two games we've played so far. They've been pretty close games though, Spurs' veterans are tough to beat.
hova- wrote:Wow, Denver's really doing well. Tough to see that you've basically lost that game because of your weakness from the line ... Somehow I have the same problem over and over again. Either I shoot ridiculously well from the stripe (like .90) or I just can't hit shit and go below .500.

Anyways, at least a win against the Spurs.

I'm surprised at how well the sim engine has treated Denver so far, but playing against them you can definitely tell it's not a fluke. Free throws can be a bit hard sometimes. I usually shoot at round 90% every game, but I do get the odd game where I miss quite a few. It's how basketball is in video games and in real life.
z02 wrote:
Thierry • wrote:I meant in real life, my bad. Is he injured?
I think he was actually injured yesterday.

He's played five out of six games this season, so he's not injured. As a sidenote, he's also averaging 22 minutes a game so there's nothing wrong.

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. Things will only get interesting from here.
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Re: Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst

Postby Stress Fracture on Sun Jan 08, 2012 3:07 am

What a rough interim GM. Why trade Bud?
benji wrote:LeBron is such a choker. And people were talking about him as an all-time great. As having possibly surpassed Kobe. What a joke.

velvet bliss wrote:Andrew, you the real MVP.

Andrew wrote:He who flops and flails to the Finals and a title, flops and flails best.
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Re: Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst

Postby Axel The Great on Wed Jan 11, 2012 8:50 am

I've found a better use for Terrence Williams than Budinger, that's all. It's not something that needs to be done, but trading Brooks for another backup point guard would benefit us seeing as how Brooks' contract is expiring and since we're over the cap, I can't re-sign him. He is the only player on the roster with a year remaining on his contract, so it is guaranteed he'll be playing elsewhere sooner or later.
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Re: Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst

Postby karlsanada10 on Wed Jan 11, 2012 9:08 pm

I thought you just swept them. I'm not having a hard time on them, just Jefferson. He's a sicko when I play on HOF.-.- Knocking all the three, even guarded.

Anyways, Terrence William's shot style is so hard, but yeah, he's good at driving, but so does Bud. And Brooks, I guess you have to part ways now.
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Re: Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst

Postby Axel The Great on Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:11 am

Richard Jefferson sucks ass when I play him. I'm not even aware that he's playing sometimes until I see that he has 8 points in the boxscore. :lol:

I am interested in getting either Eric Maynor from OKC, or Dragic from Phoenix, and I may include Budinger in that package. In exchange, I hope to get a first round pick or two from either of those teams, especially the Suns. :cheeky:

So the NLSC Tournament Round Two Recap is next, but it won't include pics because I was running low on time yesterday and couldn't take them. (N)
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Re: Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst

Postby karlsanada10 on Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:14 am

How is Suns doing? One of the worst? Dragic? It will be good to see him with the Rockets in your association.:D
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NLSC Tournament: Round Two

Postby Axel The Great on Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:42 am

NLSC Tournament Second Round Results


(1-0) Ray Cer vs. Badger Johnson (0-1)
Score: 21-11
Length: 14 minutes

Ray Cer and Danny Granger had a relatively easy time scoring in this one, as Badger Johnson and John Wall provided little signs of defensive resistance. Cer and Granger put on a show with flashy dunks and also forced the turnovers. Wall and Johnson were forced to difficult shots and as a result, they move down 0-2 while Cer and Granger win their second game and stand at 2-0.

Stats:
Ray Cer - 11 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 11/20 FG
Danny Granger - 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals, 10/14 FG
Badger Johnson - 5 points, 8 rebounds, 1 steal, 5/10 FG
John Wall - 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 6/13 FG

(0-1) Amadeus Pelayo vs. Karl Cristobal (1-0)
Score: 21-14
Length: 15 minutes

After a very slow start for Amadeus Pelayo and Luis Scola, they developed a rhythm and went on an 8-0 run to end and win the game. Scola had himself a double-double and Pelayo once again had all-around stats. Karl Cristobal struggled with the size of Pelayo and shot just 5/13 from the field, but Kevin Love played well scoring nine points and grabbing nine boards. Both duos now sit at 1-1.

Stats:
Amadeus Pelayo - 9 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 9/23 FG
Luis Scola - 12 points, 12 rebounds, 1 steal, 12/18 FG
Karl Cristobal - 5 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 block, 5/13 FG
Kevin Love - 9 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 9/15 FG

(1-0) Kene Yougario vs. Martti Must (1-0)
Score: 22-20
Length: 17 minutes

Martti Must and Kevin Martin had this game locked up when they were up 20-17. Martin blew a layup that could've ended the game, and then came a run from Kene Yougario and Chauncey Billups. Yougario had another great game with 13 points and 8 boards, and on the defensive end he had three steals and four rejections. Him and Billups scored five unanswered to come away with the win. The entire game, Must and Martin were out of sync in their ball movement, as they just rely on post ups and isolations (respectively) for their scoring. Even with that, they put up a great fight, but just couldn't hold on for the victory.

Stats:
Kene Yougario - 13 points, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 4 blocks, 13/18 FG
Chauncey Billups - 9 points, 5 assists, 2 rebounds, 3 steals, 9/18 FG
Martti Must - 8 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 8/15 FG
Kevin Martin - 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 12/23 FG

(0-1) Prazar Petrovic vs. Shado Green (0-1)
Score: 21-9
Length: 15 minutes

Defensively, it didn't take very much effort from the duo of Prazar Petrovic and Ray Allen, because Shado Green had what could be the worst shooting numbers in the history of the tournament. Green shot 1/14, but despite just having one point, he had solid numbers in other areas. Joel Anthony had an excellent game with eight points and 12 boards. Many would say that Petrovic and Allen had a win locked up in this one, they just had to get past the top-notch, hard-nosed defense of both Anthony and Green. Offense wins games, and that's how this game was won.

Stats:
Prazar Petrovic - 10 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals, 8/19 FG
Ray Allen - 11 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals, 11/20 FG
Shado Green - 1 point, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 1/14 FG
Joel Anthony - 8 points, 12 rebounds, 3 steals, 4 blocks, 8/15 FG

Tournament Standings
PlayerRecord
Kene Yougario2-0
Ray Cer2-0
Martti Must1-1
Amadeus Pelayo1-1
Karl Cristobal1-1
Prazar Petrovic1-1
Shado Green0-2
Badger Johnson0-2
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Re: Chapter 24 - Suspect In Our Midst

Postby Axel The Great on Sun Jan 15, 2012 3:43 am

karlsanada10 wrote:How is Suns doing? One of the worst? Dragic? It will be good to see him with the Rockets in your association.:D

Suns are bottom of the Western Conference. Brooks and Budinger for Dragic would be giving too much imo, especially since Brooks is a good sim engine player, so a first round pick from the Suns would compensate for it. That may be ripping the Suns off quite a bit, however.
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Re: NLSC Tournament: Round Two

Postby Martti. on Sun Jan 15, 2012 5:11 am

Gotta find better chemistry with Martin.
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