Overtime Bull Run [44-15]

[Stress Fracture]

Derrick Williams went to the WIz? Then who did Minnesota get?

[Cavs4872]

looks like your winningness in live had no problem transferring over to 2k (it's Hyperize.)... terrific job with the presentation on the recaps love to see Yao still going strong; one of my favorite players. shame he had to retire

[Axel.]

You're killin' all of them. :O Are you playing on HOF?

Nope. Playing on All-Star.

Derrick Williams went to the WIz? Then who did Minnesota get?

Read the Draft Summary.

looks like your winningness in live had no problem transferring over to 2k (it's Hyperize.)... terrific job with the presentation on the recaps love to see Yao still going strong; one of my favorite players. shame he had to retire

Well this is a surprise, great to see you back. And yes, the winningness did transfer over, though in Live I'd be like 30-2 or something like that. Yao is one of the reasons I don't want to upgrade to 2K12; I picture this a different universe in which injuries don't end his career and one in which he will eventually win a championship.

December recap coming in the next couple of days hopefully.

[karlsanada10]

Wow, you're blazing fast for quite a while now.) Updating every week, right?

I hope you get him a championship ring.

[Axel.]

December Recap

The month of December was another successful one for the Houston Rockets. They went 11-4 for the month, and the story behind that is Kevin Martin. Martin went on a scoring rampage the entire month, averaging 32.1 points and scoring 30 or more in 10 out of those 15 games played, including a season high 43 in a win against the Washington Wizards.

But the Rockets are pretty much being lifted single-handedly by Martin. Everyone else, Yao Ming, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, really did not play up to par this month. Scola had some terrible shooting games, Yao would disappear completely from games due to his passiveness, and Lowry did not score as expected, though he had an excellent month in the assists department. The Rockets bench did give Martin more than their fair share of help however, as Courtney Lee and Patrick Patterson played very well. The wins continue to pile up however, despite some minor struggles from the core, and hopefully they'll be able to pick things up as the season goes on.

December's Hot Headlines

Rockets Trade Brooks... At Last
After months of requesting a trade, Aaron Brooks's wish has finally been granted, but he took a reluctant Chase Budinger with him as well. Brooks and Budinger went to Phoenix for Goran Dragic and a 2012 first round pick last week, and the draft pick was the key part of the steal for the Houston Rockets.

"Everyone is aware of what Aaron (Brooks) is capable of. He just had a down year last year due to the rise of Kevin Martin, and was demoted to the bench this year due to Kyle Lowry's play. The draft pick is ultimately what the franchise needed. With a talented draft class coming up, it will be worth it," Rockets interim GM Axel Gomez said.

Read more...

Nash: "Up to Management to Trade Me"
After acquiring Aaron Brooks and Chase Budinger from the Houston Rockets, the Phoenix Suns have shown promise for the future. Brooks has already had two games in which he scored 30 or more points, while Budinger has had one game with 20 more points. Meanwhile, Steve Nash's minutes were cut in the four games the Suns have played since the trade. Rumors continue to fly about whether or not Nash wants a trade. Nash spoke to the public on this subject.

"I just want to play basketball. It is up to management to trade me; I'm letting them make that decision. Whatever choice they make, I agree with them wholeheartedly," Nash said in a post-game conference after a blowout loss to the Washington Wizards. Nash has stated that he'd prefer to stay loyal to Phoenix, however, he also stated that he wouldn't mind playing for a contending team.

Read more...

Knicks, A Huge Fall From Grace
The New York Knicks, after a 15-3 start to the season in November, have dropped to just 18-16 going 3-13 in the month of December. Their superstar Carmelo Anthony played just one of those games, missing 15 games due to injury. It can be agreed that Anthony's absence completely destroyed the team, thus their lack of wins. He did, however, return near the end of the month, so hopefully that gets the Knicks back on their feet.

"I knew it was too good to be true," said one Knicks fan, "every time the sun is shining on the Knicks something always has to happen. This month has shown us the true value of Melo; his essential role on the team was under appreciated by almost everyone."

Read more...

Magic's Howard: "Get Me More Help, Or I'll Help Someone Else"
Sources say that Dwight Howard has threatened the Orlando Magic front office that he'll request a trade if they don't swing a deal to turn their season around. Orlando is 15-20 so far this season, struggling to get at the .500 mark. Injuries have derailed the Magic to an extent, and Howard has had to pick up the slack all season long.

There are many teams aggressively seeking Howard, and rumor has it that he may go to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom.

Read more...

New Reign in the Pacific Division
After years of consistent playoff appearances from the Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns, it looks like the standings may be turning upside down this season. The Sacramento Kings sit atop the Pacific Division with an 18-15 record, followed closely by the 16-14 Golden State Warriors. The Los Angeles Clippers sit behind them at borderline playoff contention with a 17-16 record.

Meanwhile, the Lakers and the Suns are 15-18 and 9-22 respectively. If this keeps up, the young up and coming aforementioned teams will reign the Pacific Division for years to come; all three are set for the future with their young players.

Read more...

Players of the Month

Player	Conference	Statistics
LeBron James (MIA)	East Player	27.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.9 spg, 1.6 bpg, 49.1% FG, 34.6% 3P, 81.1% FT
Kevin Durant (OKC)	West Player	31.9 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 2.3 apg, 2.7 spg, 1.8 bpg, 51.3% FG, 39.6% 3P, 89.2% FT
Brandon Knight (TOR)	East Rookie	15.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.9 apg, 1.0 spg, 47.4% FG, 84.1% FT
Xavier Nelson (LAL)	West Rookie	15.4 ppg, 6.8 apg, 2.3 rpg, 1.8 spg, 35.2 %FG, 80.5% FT

Players of the Week

Week	East Player	West Player
November 27-December 3	LeBron James (MIA)	Kevin Durant (OKC)
December 4-10	LeBron James (MIA)	Kevin Durant (OKC)
December 11-17	Dwyane Wade (MIA)	Kevin Durant (OKC)
December 18-24	LeBron James (MIA)	Kevin Durant (OKC)
December 25-31	LeBron James (MIA)	Chris Paul (NOH)

NLSCer Stats

Xavier Nelson (LAL)
33 GP | 33 GS | 32.3 MPG *Rest of stats listed above*

Justine Jones (CHA)
32 GP | 32 GS | 14.0 PPG | 6.6 RPG | 3.3 APG | 39.4% FG | 71.4% FT | 28.6 MPG

Thierry Tirieux (MEM)
33 GP | 0 GS | 12.7 PPG | 4.8 APG | 2.5 RPG | 41.9% FG | 68.2% FT | 24.5 MPG

Zee Otoo (WAS)
24 GP | 10 GS | 4.2 PPG | 2.0 RPG | 35.1% FG | 41.9% 3P | 75.0% FT | 9.6 MPG

George Koukoulis (MIL)
33 GP | 0 GS | 5.1 PPG | 2.2 RPG | 1.2 APG | 37.6% FG | 75.8% FT | 9.7 MPG

Liam Washburn (POR)
5 GP | 5 GS | 19.0 PPG | 5.0 RPG | 5.4 APG | 41.0% FG | 40.0% 3P | 86.2% FT | 34.2 MPG

Willie Lewis (UTA)
5 GP | 5 GS | 21.8 PPG | 9.4 RPG | 2.8 APG | 43.6% FG | 31.6% 3P | 77.8% FT | 29.6 MPG

Valdis Iesalnieks (SAS)
2 GP | 2 GS | 11.5 PPG | 11.0 RPG | 1.0 APG | 1.0 BPG | 33.3% FG | 70.0% FT | 31.0 MPG

Players in blue are in the D-League, thus their D-League stats are shown.







Team Stats

[karlsanada10]

Can't believe SA and LAL are deep down on the playoffs picture.o.O Same with Orlando Magic in the East.

[hova-]

Kevin Martin in the .50/.40/.90 club, hell yeah. You're still going strong.

[Justine.]

Considering how the Suns is performing, that pick is something. Great deal I've been checking here always but not posting comments so sorry. Really happy to see my player doing good, and our standing is really opposite IRL

[Thierry •]

Good to see the Suns struggling Loving the headlines.

[Axel.]

Can't believe SA and LAL are deep down on the playoffs picture.o.O Same with Orlando Magic in the East.

2K sim engine is not doing its job.

Kevin Martin in the .50/.40/.90 club, hell yeah. You're still going strong.

K-Mart's been excellent all season long. Third best player in the league imo.

Considering how the Suns is performing, that pick is something. Great deal I've been checking here always but not posting comments so sorry. Really happy to see my player doing good, and our standing is really opposite IRL

Definitely hoping the Suns tank the season so we can get a top 3 draft pick. We can definitely say your player has made an impact in Charlotte, you're kicking some ass with S-Jax alongside you.

Good to see the Suns struggling Loving the headlines.

I think the headlines are a cool addition. Raises awareness of what's going on outside the Rockets in this association. Hopefully the Suns continue to struggle.



Guys I have spent quite a few hours looking for possible trades to help out other teams. I've come across a three-team deal that I'm a tad too hesitant to pull the trigger on. It involves Steve Nash, and the teams are the Knicks, Clippers, and Suns. Here goes:

Knicks get: Steve Nash, Sean Williams.
Williams is just a toss in to balance out salaries a little. The Knicks are getting a good deal because they are re-uniting Nash and Amar'e, and that can possibly either make them a big run-and-gun team, or Melo can destroy the chemistry by chucking up shots. The Knicks were a good team (in this association) last year with three players (Melo, Stat, Billups) that require a ton of shots, and with Nash just needing to assist, it may actually work out in terms of 2K's sim engine.

Clippers get: Chauncey Billups, Marcin Gortat
Clippers unload Kaman, and pass the torch to DeAndre Jordan. Meanwhile, they get a good backup center in return because while Jordan is in foul trouble, Gortat can still provide the good defensive presence that is needed. Knicks have to give up Billups to make room for Nash, and it adds some of the real life spice by having him go to the Clips.

Suns get: Anthony Randolph, Mo Williams, Chris Kaman, First round picks from both NY and LAC
Suns essentially just give up Nash, as Sean Williams isn't a big loss. Anthony Randolph is a good 2K sim engine player, I remember last season he was averaging 12 points off the bench for New York. With Mo, they add depth to the PG spot and both Brooks and him can make a deadly scoring duo if they have it going. One of the reasons I'm hesitant about this trade is I have to force them to take on Kaman's contract. I'm not too sure if it's expiring or if it has a year or two left (if it's the former, then great, but I'll have to check). A rebuilding team doesn't want big contracts like that, but they are getting a good upgrade offensively at the center position. The first round picks can also somewhat make up for the one they gave to me.

So what do you guys think? Fair deal? If not, who's getting raped? Do you have other suggestions?

[Lamrock]

Bad deal for Phoenix if they also give up Gortat.

[karlsanada10]

^Not really because they will get Kaman and a few round picks. Good deal imo.

[Lamrock]

Marcin Gortat is younger than Kaman and better than him too - at least in real life. However, this association started a while back, so Gortat might not have very good ratings here.

[qfrmcpt310]

I think it's pretty fair. It's for Steve so yeah, I like it.

[Thierry •]

Suns get a couple of picks so that makes it fair for me. Go ahead!

[rise]

Fair trade for all sides. Do it.

[Stress Fracture]

With the involvement of the draft picks, it's a very good trade. Phoenix can now start rebuilding. I just do hope Melo doesn't chuck up shots.

[Houndy]

It's a good deal imo

[Martti.]

I'll say do it.

[Axel.]

Thanks everyone for your opinions, looks like the majority are saying it's a fair deal. Any other deals I'm hesitant about I'll come back and ask again.

Marcin Gortat is younger than Kaman and better than him too - at least in real life. However, this association started a while back, so Gortat might not have very good ratings here.

IRL, Gortat is better than Kaman, but in my association, Kaman is rated 76 and Gortat 68, so Kaman is better, especially since he's had really good games against me before. I'd rate Kaman the better offensive player irl and in the game so it's not that bad a rip-off for Phoenix to receive Kaman.

Edit: And Kaman's contract is in fact expiring. $12 million comes off the books for Phoenix in the off-season, perfect chance to sign a free agent.

[Axel.]

[24-8] Houston Rockets 99-104 Oklahoma City Thunder [22-11]


Kevin Martin most definitely outdid Kevin Durant in this one. | Scola with another double-double.

Westbrook was the hidden key to OKC's victory. | Kendrick Perkins had 23 rebounds, outdoing both Yao and Scola.

Both teams had a relatively slow start in the first quarter, especially Oklahoma City. Houston started 14-7, but the Thunder clawed their way back into it to trail by only four after one. The Rockets were dominating the Thunder on the glass, holding a +8 advantage for most of the game.

Kevin Durant kept his Thunder in the game in the first half. He had 21 points, scoring three triples, at the half. The second quarter was high scoring, with Oklahoma City able to tie the game at halftime.

The third quarter began with both teams playing a very stagnant offense. It took a while, but Houston edged the Thunder for the lead, with Durant slowing down. Durant scored only 11 points in the second half, finishing with 32 on 14/34 shooting and 3/14 from downtown. The real key however, was Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had a double-double of 23 points and 14 dimes, shooting 9/18 from the field and helping the Thunder to retake the lead in the fourth quarter.

It looked as if all the hard work put in by the Thunder was for nothing, as Kevin Martin knocked down a deep trey with the shot clock expiring to put his team up 97-94. Oklahoma City then scored two consecutive buckets, and that was when Luis Scola answered with an easy 10-foot jumpshot to regain the lead at 99-98.

After being quiet the entire second half, Durant knocked down a fadeaway jumpshot to put the Thunder up 100-99, and after missing another bucket, Houston was forced to foul and that was when Oklahoma City sealed the deal at the free throw line.

Martin finished with 35 points, six boards, six dimes for the Rockets, shooting 12/26 from the field. Scola had a double-double of 15 points and 12 boards, shooting an astonishing 6/7 from the field.

A catalyst for the Thunder was Kendrick Perkins. He had a huge double-double of 12 points and 23 boards. His toughness inside was what kept Yao Ming at bay and quiet.

Notes: Oklahoma City shot 48% from the field, and only turned it over seven times. Houston meanwhile shot just 42% from the field, turning it over 12 times. Houston edged out Oklahoma City at the line, going 20/22 from there compared to just 10/15 for OKC.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 35 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 12/26 FG, 2/3 3P, 9/9 FT
Luis Scola - 15 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 6/7 FG, 3/4 FT
Kyle Lowry - 14 points, 7 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 6/13 FG
Yao Ming - 11 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 5/12 FG

Thunder:
Kevin Durant - 32 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 14/34 FG, 3/14 3P
Russell Westbrook - 23 points, 14 assists, 3 rebounds, 9/18 FG, 5/6 FT
James Harden - 15 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 5/7 FG
Kendrick Perkins - 12 points, 23 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 5/8 FG
Nate Robinson - 10 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals, 5/14 FG
Serge Ibaka - 6 points, 7 rebounds, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 3/4 FG

24 30 25 20 99
20 34 21 29 104

[24-9] Houston Rockets 109-104 Utah Jazz [9-23]
Simmed

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 32 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 blocks, 10/21 FG, 11/11 FT
Yao Ming - 20 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 5/10 FG, 10/11 FT
Luis Scola - 20 points, 11 rebounds, 9/17 FG
Kyle Lowry - 13 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals, 4/4 FG
Thabo Sefolosha - 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 3/3 FG

Jazz:
Al Jefferson - 29 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist, 11/18 FG, 7/8 FT
Devin Harris - 21 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, 5/15 FG, 10/11 FT
Paul Millsap - 18 points, 13 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 8/12 FG
JJ Barea - 12 points, 9 assists, 1 rebound, 4/9 FG, 3/3 FT

20 29 37 23 109
27 30 17 30 104

[Cruzerr]

OKC and Memphis are one of the tougher teams to go against, if you ask me. Nice to see this going

[Axel.]

Memphis hasn't been that hard to play against, but OKC is definitely difficult. I wasted the opportunity to beat them because Durant was throwing up shots left and right. Westbrook really bailed him out.

I might have this go on pause for about a week or so. Schoolwork and work piling up, there's hardly any time to make room for an hour and a half to play one 2K11 game. In the meantime I might get the next chapter up.

[hova-]

23 boards for Perkins? Looks like he was beasting against Yao down low.

[shadowgrin]

The cheesy overused (Thunder Strikes) title brought me here.

[Axel.]

23 boards for Perkins? Looks like he was beasting against Yao down low.

Yep. Yao has been struggling as of late, definitely not helping his push for another All-Star appearance but even so, he leads West centers in votes.

The cheesy overused (Thunder Strikes) title brought me here.

I'll have to think of something else before it becomes cliche.

Rest of Week 11 recap next.

[Axel.]

Part II

[25-9] Houston Rockets 98-91 Oklahoma City Thunder


Kyle Lowry lent Kevin Martin a hand in this one. | Patrick Patterson also chipped in 12 points off the bench.

It was a struggle, but Durant got 35 points. | Serge Ibaka was alone in the front court, Kendrick Perkins had foul trouble.

It was just bad shooting all around for the Oklahoma City Thunder, and even their leading scorer, Kevin Durant, shot below par. Durant had a game high 35 points on 14/32 shooting, and had 10 boards. Durant's effort kept his Thunder in the game through two quarters and a half.

It started with Houston getting a slight edge, as everyone was getting involved. The Rockets had no clear leader in the first quarter, but Kevin Martin got things going in the second quarter. At halftime he already had a team high 14 points, six boards, and five assists. Houston lost their lead near the end of the first half, when Oklahoma City went on a nice run. Before halftime however, they were able to get it back to lead by three.

In the third quarter, Houston pulled away to a double-digit lead after going on a 13-5 run during a stretch of five minutes. They led by 11 going into the final period, and it was thanks to OKC's shooting woes.

James Harden shot 4/15, Russell Westbrook shot 2/11 (and suffered a Bruised Tailbone during the game), and Nate Robinson shot 4/11 from the field. To add to that, Kendrick Perkins managed just 20 minutes of game time due to foul trouble, scoring only two points and grabbing one board.

Houston would lead by as many as 15 before the Thunder narrowed the margin down to seven to end the game.

For Houston, Martin led the way with a near triple-double of 27 points, nine boards, and eight assists. Help arrived for him this game in the form of 16 points, 7 assists from Kyle Lowry. Also worthy of mention was Patrick Patterson's great game off the bench (12 points, four boards, 5/9 shooting).

Notes: Despite being outrebounded 50-40, the Houston Rockets were able to take this one relatively easily. They shot 43% from the field compared to the Thunder's 40%. Shooting percentages were the key factor in this one, and the Rockets almost always have the edge in those categories.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 27 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 10/22 FG, 3/4 3P, 4/5 FT
Kyle Lowry - 16 points, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 6/12 FG, 3/4 3P
Patrick Patterson - 12 points, 4 rebounds, 5/9 FG
Yao Ming - 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 5/9 FG
Luis Scola - 11 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 3/8 FG, 5/5 FT

Thunder:
Kevin Durant - 35 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 14/32 FG, 6/7 FT
Nate Robinson - 10 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 1 steal, 4/11 FG
James Harden - 9 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 4/15 FG
Russell Westbrook - 9 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 2/11 FG, 5/6 FT
Serge Ibaka - 6 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 4 blocks, 3/5 FG

25 28 28 17 98
21 29 20 21 91

[26-9] Houston Rockets 99-101 Miami Heat [26-10]


This picture is soon to be confiscated by Nike. | Kyle Lowry scores a buzzer-beater to end the third.

LeBron only scored four points in the fourth quarter. | Chris Bosh had a great fourth quarter on the other hand.

Both teams began with great shooting, shooting well over 50% from the field to begin the game. As the first quarter progressed, the Heat began to slow down, and that's where the Rockets capitalized and jumping out ahead to a five point lead at the end of the quarter.

In the first half, Houston had trouble containing LeBron James. He scored 19 points in the first half, and he was having an excellent shooting game. On the other side, Miami had trouble slowing down Kevin Martin. They did a great job limiting his attempts, the the shots he got off were usually money. Martin had 17 points to counter LeBron's game by halftime, and Houston led by the slimmest of margins at the half.

Miami managed to climb back into it to retake the lead in the third quarter, with LeBron once again continuing to pour in the points. The Rockets countered that with a team scoring effort, as no Rocket had clear dominance of the team in the third.

The fourth quarter came down to the wire, as both teams traded leads and buckets for the vast majority of the period. This is where Chris Bosh picked his game up. He scored 12 of his 18 points in this period, eight of them coming in the final stretch of the game. Bosh knocked down four free throws and two jumpshots to help sink the Rockets in the final minutes.

Notes: Miami had better shot attempts this game as they shot 48% from the field, despite only having 15 assists. The Rockets shot 43% from the field, but had 27 assists for the game. Houston outrebounded Miami 47-44, and shot 18/21 from the free throw line compared to Miami's 11/14. Just goes to show that a team may have the edge in almost all stat categories, but there is always one key stat that decides the game.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 29 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 11/18 FG, 6/7 FT
Kyle Lowry - 16 points, 8 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 6/11 FG, 2/2 3P
Luis Scola - 13 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 block, 5/12 FG
Yao Ming - 12 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, 6/12 FG

Heat:
LeBron James - 32 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 13/23 FG, 2/4 3P, 4/4 FT
Dwyane Wade - 21 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 9/17 FG, 2/4 3P
Chris Bosh - 18 points, 8 rebounds, 7/16 FG, 4/4 FT
Zydrunas Ilgauskas - 13 points, 3 rebounds, 5 steals, 6/10 FG
Mario Chalmers - 7 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 3/8 FG

27 19 28 25 99
22 23 27 29 101

[Cruzerr]

Hey, 1-1 is good against two of the tougher teams. Usually, people have the trouble of guarding Westbrook in 2k rather then Durant. Nice to see this still on a roll

[Stress Fracture]

Even in console games, LeBron still doesn't have a Fourth Quarter. Good thing Bosh is there.

[rise]

Yep. Yao has been struggling as of late, definitely not helping his push for another All-Star appearance but even so, he leads West centers in votes.

So, just like real life?

[KidJustin]

HAHAHAHA "LIKE A BOSH"

awesome

[karlsanada10]

Yao is always meant to be in the top votes, right?

[Stress Fracture]

I think most of his votes are coming from China.

[Red Rocket]

Like the main heading, it's pretty cool. Tough loss to the Heat, but you're doing real good so far. Keep it up.

[hova-]

23 boards for Perkins? Looks like he was beasting against Yao down low.

Yep. Yao has been struggling as of late, definitely not helping his push for another All-Star appearance but even so, he leads West centers in votes.

Pretty normal if you ask me All these Chinese voters make it possible ...

Tough loss vs the Heat, but at least you could grab a win against the Thunder, definitely a split you can live with I guess.

[Lamrock]

Always sucks to lose to the Heat, but nice split on the road. How's Yao doing in all-star voting?

[Axel.]

Hey, 1-1 is good against two of the tougher teams. Usually, people have the trouble of guarding Westbrook in 2k rather then Durant. Nice to see this still on a roll

Westbrook's not that hard to guard, and neither is Durant. The problem is that KD takes a TON of shots, which is why he always amounts 30 points against me.

Even in console games, LeBron still doesn't have a Fourth Quarter. Bad thing Bosh is there.

Corrected for our point of view. You could argue that Bosh took all of LeBron's shots in the fourth, but that's technically what LeBron does, not shoot at all in the final quarter.

Yep. Yao has been struggling as of late, definitely not helping his push for another All-Star appearance but even so, he leads West centers in votes.

So, just like real life?

I guess. But you would think Andrew Bynum or Al Jefferson would have passed him up already. Either way, I don't have much of a problem with Yao starting in the ASG.

HAHAHAHA "LIKE A BOSH"

awesome

Thank you. But "Like a Bosh" really isn't my creation in case you didn't know.

Yao is always meant to be in the top votes, right?

Yes. He was the best center in the West for years.

Like the main heading, it's pretty cool. Tough loss to the Heat, but you're doing real good so far. Keep it up.

Thanks for reading. Kevin Martin is carrying the load right now, and he's doing it well.

Tough loss vs the Heat, but at least you could grab a win against the Thunder, definitely a split you can live with I guess.

The Thunder game was a must win. Tough team to beat and hard to get past both Ibaka and Perkins. Hopefully we even things up against the Heat in Houston.

Always sucks to lose to the Heat, but nice split on the road. How's Yao doing in all-star voting?

Especially since Bosh was the one to light us up in the fourth. Yao is edging Jefferson and Bynum by a few thousand (no more than 10K) votes. As long as he keeps up his regular 15 points, 8-10 boards a game he should keep that lead comfortably until the All-Star break.

As you guys can see, I am on pause right now. Busy schedule, I really don't know when I might be able to get down and play a few games. However, expect the odd update every now and then, either a chapter or an article. Hoping to get a chapter and a rookies article this weekend.

[Axel.]

NLSC Tournament Third Round Results

(1-1) Karl Cristobal vs. Ray Cer (2-0)
Score: 15-21
Length: 18 minutes

Stats:
Ray Cer - 13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 13/22 FG
Danny Granger - 8 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 8/19 FG
Karl Cristobal - 6 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, 6/15 FG
Kevin Love - 9 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 9/19 FG

(0-2) Badger Johnson vs. Amadeus Pelayo (1-1)
Score: 12-21
Length: 18 minutes

Stats:
Luis Scola - 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 14/28 FG
Amadeus Pelayo - 7 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 7/18 FG
Badger Johnson - 8 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 1 block, 8/21 FG
John Wall - 4 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 4/15 FG

(0-2) Shado Green vs. Kene Yougario (2-0)
Score: 16-21
Length: 16 minutes

Stats:
Kene Yougario - 15 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 15/24 FG
Chauncey Billups - 6 points, 9 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals, 5/11 FG, 1/2 3P
Joel Anthony - 9 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 9/14 FG
Shado Green - 7 points, 9 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 block, 7/15 FG

(1-1) Martti Must vs. Prazar Petrovic (1-1)
Score: 21-18
Length: 17 minutes

Stats:
Kevin Martin - 15 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 15/24 FG
Martti Must - 6 points, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 6/12 FG
Prazar Petrovic - 16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, 15/21 FG, 1/1 3P
Ray Allen - 2 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 1 block, 2/14 FG

Tournament Standings

Player	Record
Kene Yougario	3-0
Ray Cer	3-0
Martti Must	2-1
Amadeus Pelayo	2-1
Karl Cristobal	1-2
Prazar Petrovic	1-2
Shado Green	0-3
Badger Johnson	0-3

[shadowgrin]

The way Shado Green and the greatness that is Joel Anthony play basketball is the right way basketball is to be played, unselfish!

For the love of Kobe I stunk it up in the second game.

[Mavs4Life]

Scoring and boarding!

[KidJustin]

Scoring and boarding!

ur talking about me right? lol

damn...20 team rebounds! me and Granger are killing this tourney! i hope the Pacers draft me

[Martti.]

Kevin Martin doing most of the work, I'm glad he's bringing his efficient shooting to the court with me too.

[karlsanada10]

I really need to step up. Getting schooled.o.O

[Stress Fracture]

Scola is a great compliment to me.

[Lamrock]

This NLSC Tournament is bringing back bad memories of choosing Wall as my teammate.

[Kenny]

Nice to see I'm still undefeated... but damn, it looks like Greatness was destroying me off the boards. Perhaps Kene is going to have the shooting ability of Shaq and the rebounding ability of Andrea Bargnani

[Axel.]

The way Shado Green and the greatness that is Joel Anthony play basketball is the right way basketball is to be played, unselfish!

For the love of Kobe I stunk it up in the second game.

For a supposed offensively inept duo, you guys are overachieving on offense. Maybe it's your defense giving you guys confidence on offense.

Scoring and boarding!

Next step is the W's!

damn...20 team rebounds! me and Granger are killing this tourney! i hope the Pacers draft me

At this rate, you may end up going lottery, which I doubt the Pacers will be at that level come draft time. The East has been unpredictable here though, so it's possible.

Kevin Martin doing most of the work, I'm glad he's bringing his efficient shooting to the court with me too.

He forces the workload right out of your hands. If it's getting you wins, I don't think you mind much, right?

I really need to step up. Getting schooled.o.O

It's ultimately your players shot selection that needs to improve.

Scola is a great compliment to me.

Your player runs pick and roll like a point guard, even though he's a SG/SF.

This NLSC Tournament is bringing back bad memories of choosing Wall as my teammate.

I'm pretty sure you've said this many times before. Badger made the same mistake this tournament and he's yet to win a game.

Nice to see I'm still undefeated... but damn, it looks like Greatness was destroying me off the boards. Perhaps Kene is going to have the shooting ability of Shaq and the rebounding ability of Andrea Bargnani

The Greatness apparently knows his rebounding fundamentals because he forces misses out of your player, and boxes you out for rebounds. But Kene really does need to step up on the boards to remain undefeated.

[karlsanada10]

Hope I can bounce back to my next game.-.-

[Axel.]

Part I

[26-10] Houston Rockets 99-93 Portland TrailBlazers [20-17]


Martin denies Roy at the hoop! | Dragic's 14 points off the bench was a valuable contribution.

With Roy's ankle sprain, Aldridge had to take over as the main scoring option. | Brandon Roy contributed all around.

All game, Portland would just not lay down, as they crept within single digits throughout. They got off to an edge in the first quarter, as they had an answer to anything and everything the Rockets threw at them. The score was tied at the end of one, and the game remained close throughout the entire first half.

The Rockets got a hold of a nine-point lead midway through the second quarter, but after a timely timeout, Portland chipped it down to three. Gerald Wallace had a good first half scoring nine points and grabbing five boards, and served as a catalyst for Portland as they managed to stay alive. Kevin Martin had 16 at halftime, but Portland had done a great job in limiting his good shot attempts.

Both teams began the second half trading buckets, but Goran Dragic scored seven in a row for the Rockets, igniting what was a long 15-6 run for them to acquire a double-digit lead. It reached 15 before Portland got it down to 11 going into the final period.

It would have seemed Portland had the right tools for a great comeback on the road, but turnover after turnover downed their chances for a comeback. The Blazers committed eight of their 17 turnovers in the final period alone. To add to that, Brandon Roy suffered a Severe Ankle Sprain during a scramble for a loose ball, taking away more from Portland.

"It was a good effort defensively in the fourth to try and come back. Had we taken better care of the basketball, I'm sure the score would have been much closer," LaMarcus Aldridge, who notched a double-double of 24 points and 10 boards, said.

For Houston, Kevin Martin led the way with a game high 25 points and five assists, shooting 9/18 from the field. Goran Dragic had his best game as a Rocket thus far with 14 points and two dimes off the bench.

Houston was outrebounded tremendously 42-31, and shot 46% from the field. Portland meanwhile shot 50%, but turned it over 17 times compared to 13 by the Rockets.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 25 points, 5 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals, 2 blocks, 9/18 FG, 2/5 3P, 5/5 FT
Goran Dragic - 14 points, 2 assists, 1 rebound, 2 steals, 5/6 FG
Yao Ming - 12 points, 6 rebounds, 1 steal, 4 blocks, 5/10 FG
Luis Scola - 12 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 6/10 FG
Kyle Lowry - 11 points, 14 assists, 2 rebounds, 4/10 FG, 3/4 FT
Patrick Patterson - 9 points, 2 rebounds, 3 steals, 2/5 FG
Shane Battier - 8 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 3/6 FG

Blazers:
LaMarcus Aldridge - 24 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, 10/14 FG, 4/5 FT
Gerald Wallace - 14 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 5/9 FG, 3/3 FT
Brandon Roy - 12 points, 5 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 6/14 FG
Greg Oden - 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 5/8 FG
Wesley Matthews - 8 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3/6 FG

25 24 30 20 99
25 21 22 25 93

[27-10] Houston Rockets 107-87 New Jersey Nets [13-23]


Houston's bench had a mass production of points: 40 on the night. | Zach Randolph unfortunately could not lead New Jersey to victory.

With Deron Williams out for a couple of months with a Broken Back, the pressure was on New Jersey's big men Zach Randolph and Brook Lopez to lead the Nets to victory. Lopez was quiet on offense, and Randolph shot just 1/5 in the first half.

Houston started off by dominating the first quarter, crashing the glass, forcing turnovers, and holding New Jersey to less than 40% shooting. Kevin Martin was the high man for the game with 23 points, an unusual low amount for the high volume scorer, but he also accompanied that with five assists and five rebounds. Martin really did not have to do very much in the first half because Yao Ming backed him up with 11 first half points, finishing with 16 for the game.

In the second quarter, Houston got off to a 12-point lead, but the Nets raced back with a 12 to nothing run to tie it. Houston would not lay down to that as they replied with a 13-4 run, keeping the Nets at bay going into the half.

Randolph got it going in the second half hitting five consecutive shots to spark a comeback. New Jersey came within three, but a three from Martin sparked a race for the Rockets, as they would grab a 14-point lead going into the final period. The Rockets would cruise to victory in the fourth, as the bench played very well producing 40 points.

Houston forced the turnovers in this one, as they had 15 steals, and also had 50 points in the paint, and 31 assists. They shot 49% from the field, while New Jersey shot 46%.

Key Performers:
Rockets:
Kevin Martin - 23 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals, 7/13 FG, 3/4 3P, 6/6 FT
Yao Ming - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 7/11 FG
Kyle Lowry - 12 points, 11 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals, 5/10 FG, 2/4 3P
Courtney Lee - 10 points, 2 rebounds, 3/5 FG, 4/4 FT
Luis Scola - 8 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4/12 FG
Shane Battier - 8 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 steal, 4/6 FG
Terrence Williams - 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 4/5 FG
Goran Dragic - 8 points, 6 assists, 1 steal, 3/7 FG

Nets:
Zach Randolph - 21 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 10/17 FG
Shannon Brown - 20 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 9/17 FG
Brook Lopez - 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks, 5/7 FG
Travis Outlaw - 11 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 5/14 FG
Alonzo Gee - 9 points, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3/3 FG

24 25 31 27 107
15 25 26 21 87

[karlsanada10]

How many minutes does Goran Dragic have? And Nice wins!