NELLIEBALL! | Finished.

[Fresh8]

Loving this!

However, Washington stinks.

[dare]

wow Bobcats 6th in the East and Nate leading scorer coming off the bench..

[Lamrock]

Glad people like this little interlude. They're surprisingly enjoyable to write. Washington's record leaves something to be desired, but they have a high team overall rating, and they kicked my ass twice. They suck even more in real life.

Charlotte... another team I like. An example of the CPU making great decisions in both draft and free agency. Don't be surprised to see Bobcats come in 6th in real life though.

[hova-]

The Hawks suck a bit in this one. The Bobcats have a nice squad with the addition Marion. Sweet report!

[kibaxx7]

Mmm... I wouldn't start McGee

[Lamrock]

2010 Mid-season Report: Northwest Division
By Kalab Washburn, RealGM
February 4, 2010 - Part four of the mid-season report series is on the Northwest division, sometimes known as the "Northworst Division". It consists of young teams like the Blazers and Thunder, and disaster teams like the Wolves and Jazz. The Nuggets are in the middle. While the teams at the top are going nowhere but up, the bottom teams are dismal messes, each containing disgruntled stars.

Northwest Division Standings:
3-Portland 28-17
6-Oklahoma City 25-22
8-Denver 24-22
Utah 15-32 | GB: 10.5
Minnesota 14-34 | GB: 12

28-17 - 3rd Conference, 1st Division - On pace for 51 wins
----------
Coming off a blockbuster trade in the offseason in which they acquired all-star Danny Granger, the Blazers have regressed slightly. A young team one game away from the finals last year, many were surprised to see Portland blow up their roster like they did. However, they have begun to hit their stride. Carl Landry has been outplaying 07 classmate and former Blazer Greg Oden, and Brandon Roy has been excellent as usual. Granger has proven to be the player Roy needs next to him, and LaMarcus Aldridge is thriving in his role as third option. Charlie Villanueva is a sixth man of the year candidate, while criticized free agency signing Raymond Felton has been solid. Things are starting to look up in Potland.
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Starters Raymond Felton | Brandon Roy | Danny Granger | Carl Landry | LaMarcus Aldridge
Rotation: Charlie Villanueva, Travis Outlaw, Daequan Cook, Jerryd Bayless, Ronnie Turiaf, Chuck Hayes, Sergio Rodriguez
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Granger (22.0); Roy (21.4); Aldridge (17.2)
Rebounds Per Game: Aldridge (7.5); Landry (6.8), Roy (6.2)
Assists Per Game: Felton (6.4); Roy (6.2); Granger (2.8)

25-22 - 6th Conference, 2nd Division - On pace for 44 wins
----------
In just their second season in Oklahoma City, the Thunder are already good. With the offseason additions of rookie center Hasheem Thabeet and shooting guard Ben Gordon, followed by the Paul Millsap trade, Sam Presti is giving the Clippers' Mike Dunleavy and the Warriors' Liam Washburn a run for their money in the race for Executive of the Year. Kevin Durant is a legitimate MVP candidate, and will be the Thunder's first all-star. I honestly don't know how the team works though, with their backcourt holding three prolific scorers. Of course, if things begin to go wrong, Gordon can revert to a sixth man role, and Anthony Parker can shift to the starting 2. The Thunder look like a strong young team. Whether they can keep it up and hold on to their playoff spot remains to be seen.
----------
Starters: Russell Westbrook | Ben Gordon | Kevin Durant | Paul Millsap | Nenad Krstic
Rotation: Linas Kleiza, Hasheem Thabeet, Anthony Parker, Channing Frye, Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha, Eric Maynor
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Durant (27.5); Gordon (19.2); Westbrook (14.9)
Rebounds Per Game: Thabeet (6.5); Millsap (6.2); Durant (4.9)
Assists Per Game: Westbrook (7.1); Durant (3.7); Gordon (3.6)

24-22 - 8th Conference, 3rd Division - On pace for 43 wins
----------
The Nuggets are another underachieving team. Despite J.R. Smith.. sorry, Earl Smith's improvement, and Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups on pace to make All-NBA teams, the Nuggets simply aren't doing that well. Trapped in the bottom half of the Western Conference, Denver can't seem to get anywhere. The team dealt backup small forward Linas Kleiza to the Thunder for Flip Murray, but I have no idea how that is supposed to help. They Nuggets have the talent, but haven't been able to capitalize on it. Will that change this year? Probably not.
----------
Starters: Chauncey Billups | JR Smith | Carmelo Anthony | Kenyon Martin | Nene
Rotation Shannon Brown, Ronald "Flip" Murray, Tyler Hansbrough, Chris Quinn, Renaldo Balkman, Steven Hunter, Renaldo Balkman
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Anthony (24.6); Billups (20.3); Smith (18.0)
Rebounds Per Game: Nene (8.2); Anthony (7.3); Martin (6.6)
Assists Per Game: Billups (8.7); Anthony (3.5); Quinn (3.0)

15-32 - 14th Conference - 4th Division - On pace for 26 wins
----------
This squad begins and ends with Deron Williams. As brilliant as the star point guard has been, it hasn't been enough as the team around him is trash. Losing all three of their good frontcourt players in Mehmet Okur, Carlos Boozer and Paul Millsap to free agency, a depleted Jazz squad made a panic move, trading Andrei Kirilenko for team cancer Zach Randolph. Bad move. The Jazz have been awful this season due to every position except point guard being a liability. Williams, a perennial all-star snub, very well could miss out again due to his lackluster team's record, which is a shame. Without him, the Jazz would be 0-47.
----------
Starters: Deron Williams | CJ Miles | Ronnie Brewer | Zach Randolph | Aaron Gray
Rotation: Kyle Korver, Matt Harpring, Kosta Koufos, Shaun Livingston, DeAndre Jordan, Darren Collison, Morris Almond
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Williams (22.5); Randolph (16.1); Brewer (14.8)
Rebounds Per Game: Randolph (8.6); Gray (5.6); Williams (3.3)
Assists Per Game: Williams (9.7); Livingston (3.1); Brewer (2.4)

14-34 - 15th Conference, 5th Division - On pace for 24 wins
----------
Welcome to the bottom of the barrel, the Knicks of the West, the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite a fantastic young frontcourt of Al Jefferson and Kevin Love, KG's former team is a joke. But I guess that is to be expected with a backcourt of Sebastian Telfair, Jamal Crawford and Ryan Gomes. I really feel for the Wolves' fans - all five of them. Minnesota is likely banking on the 2010 draft to save them. Of course, given their recent history, they might opt to take a power forward over consensus #1 pick John Wall.
----------
Starters: Sebastian Telfair | Jamal Crawford | Ryan Gomes | Kevin Love | Al Jefferson
Rotation: Jordan Hill, Corey Brewer, Craig Smith, Rodney Carney, Patrick Mills, Darius Songaila, Etan Thomas
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Jefferson (21.5); Crawford (16.1); Gomes (14.9)
Rebounds Per Game: Jefferson (10.8); Love (8.7); Hill (3.7)
Assists Per Game: Telfair (5.6); Crawford (3.7); Mills (3.3)

[Martti.]

The Jazz have Aaron Gray as their starting C? No wonder their 15-32.

The Blazers and Thunder look very strong.

[cavs4872]

Nice job on the previews. Drew Gooden on the Cavs seems ancient to me.

[Lamrock]

Martti., Yep. They really suck, and the Z-Bo acquisition prevents them from improving in the offseason.

XxHyperDunk24, The rosters aren't from before he got traded - in my game, he was the Cavs' prize offseason signing to replace Varejao.

[kibaxx7]

Utah has Aaron Gray and Koufos.

[Fresh8]

Don't like Gordon on the Thunder.

[Lamrock]

Me neither. Aside of not wanting a player I like to be on OKC, he also seems like a terrible fit.

[hova-]

Actually I even had a laugh when I saw how the Jazz were doing. Such a bad squad. Unbelievable from the standpoint of what they had.

[|)e8*]

My jazz is getting massacred

[Lamrock]

2010 Mid-season Report: Southwest Division
By Kalab Washburn, RealGM
February 5, 2010 - The fifth segment of the mid-season report series is on the well-rounded Southwest Division. Led, as usual, by the Texas Triangle (San Antonio, Houston, Dallas), all five teams in the perennially strong division are in the mix for the playoffs. The Spurs and Rockets are title contenders, while the Mavericks are strong, but unable to stand out in the stronger Western Conference. The Grizzlies were a surprise success, but fell apart in January, while the Hornets, despite the acquisition of Emeka Okafor, are underachieving and on the outside-looking-in. While they aren't home to either of the league's top two teams, the Southwest Division is arguably the league's best.

Southwest Division Standings:
2-San Antonio 30-16
4- Houston 28-18
Dallas 25-23 | GB: 0
Memphis 21-25 | GB: 3
New Orleans 20-24 | GB: 3

30-16 - 2nd Conference, 1st Division - On pace for 54 wins
----------
Perennial contenders, the Spurs were ousted in the first round of last year's playoffs, and responded with the huge addition of Richard Jefferson. The acquisition hasn't changed the element of the team much. They are looking at yet another 54 season, and still play at the league's slowest pace. While Tim Duncan is fourth in scoring on the team with a paltry 16 PPG, he is still the team's MVP, averaging a double-double. The star backcourt of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are having all-star seasons and are a dynamic scoring and playmaking duo. The Spurs are looking like a strong bet in the West again this year, but it is possible that they will be let down by their player's old legs.
----------
Starters: Tony Parker | Manu Ginobili | Richard Jefferson | Tim Duncan | Matt Bonner
Rotation: Roger Mason Jr, Joe Smith, Ime Udoka, Michael Finley, George Hill, Tyler Smith, Jeff Pendergraph
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Parker (21.3); Ginobili (20.4); Jefferson (17.7)
Rebounds Per Game: Duncan (11.2); Ginobili (5.0); Jefferson (4.2)
Assists Per Game: Parker (7.3); Ginobili (4.3); Duncan (3.4)

28-18 - 4th Conference, 2nd Division - On pace for 50 wins
----------
While they obviously got the better end of the Chris Bosh-for-Tracy McGrady trade, the Rockets have not shot to the top of the league like some had expected. Though Yao Ming has managed to somehow stay healthy, the Rockets' mediocre backcourt has proven to be a liability. Aaron Brooks remains very inconsistent, while Wally Szczerbiak is just bad. It is rumored that they are in trade talks for Mickael Pietrus, which could be just what the Rockets need to leapfrog the Spurs for the alphadogs of the Southeast division.
----------
Starters: Aaron Brooks | Wally Szczerbiak | Shane Battier | Chris Bosh | Yao Ming
Rotation: Steve Blake, Marcin Gortat, Brent Barry, Kyle Lowry, Reggie Evans, Omri Casspi, Joey Dorsey, Dante Cunningham
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Bosh (22.0); Yao (19.7); Brooks (15.5)
Rebounds Per Game: Bosh (8.9); Yao (8.3); Gortat (5.7)
Assists Per Game: Brooks (5.7); Blake (4.7); Bosh (2.5)

25-23 - 9th Conference, 3rd Division - On pace for 43 wins
----------
The Jason Kidd-for-Devin Harris deal may have destroyed the Mavericks' title hopes, but the Mavericks have yet to blow up the team. As it stands, Dallas is fighting to even make a playoff spot. Superstar Dirk Nowitzki is having another great season, and the backcourt trio of Kidd, Jason Terry and Josh Howard are putting up decent stats, but the roster's lack of depth or defensive prowess keeps them from being considered a real threat. At this point, the Mavericks look to be treading water, postponing an inevitable rebuilding period.
----------
Starters: Jason Kidd | Jason Terry | Josh Howard | Dirk Nowitzki | Erick Dampier
Rotation: Jerry Stackhouse, JJ Barea, Chris Wilcox, Marcus Williams, Matt Carroll, James Johnson, Lorenzen Wright
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Nowitzki (23.4); Howard (17.5); Terry (17.3)
Rebounds Per Game: Nowitzki (8.6); Kidd (7.2); Dampier (6.7)
Assists Per Game: Kidd (9.1); Terry (4.5); Barea (3.2)

21-25 - 11th Conference, 4th Division - On pace for 38 wins
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The Grizzlies started out the season very strong, holding the sixth seed by New Years. A 4-11 January killed the buzz surrounding the team, and now they are being wrote off. However, a team expected to win 30 games at best still being in the fold for a playoff spot is very encouraging for the young squad. The baffling addition of Mehmet Okur has been a very lucrative one, being a great sixth man off the bench. Additionally, Rudy Gay has asserted himself as a poor-man's Carmelo Anthony, while OJ Mayo is building on a strong rookie season. Memphis probably won't make the postseason this year, but their future looks surprisingly bright.
----------
Starters: Mike Conley | OJ Mayo | Rudy Gay | Darrell Arthur | Marc Gasol
Rotation: Mehmet Okur, Stephen Curry, Kelenna Azubuike, Hakim Warrick, Brandan Wright, Greg Buckner, Sam Young
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Gay (21.0); Mayo (19.5); Okur (14.2)
Rebounds Per Game: Gasol (7.3); Okur (6.9); Gay (6.0)
Assists Per Game: Conley (8.0); Mayo (4.2); Curry (3.1)

20-24 - 12th Conference, 5th Division - On pace for 37 wins
----------
A much-better version of the Jazz. Led by a superstar point guard, who is held back by a weak supporting cast. David West's all-star days are over, while Emeka Okafor is just a terrible fit. Starting swingmen Morris Peterson and Peja Stojakovic are past their primes, and New Orleans continues to inch towards the lottery. There are positives to though. CP3 seems to be getting better and better, while DeJuan Blair has been amazing in limited minutes. While twelfth in the conference does not look good, but Hornets still have a solid chance at making the postseason, having a top 5 player and being just three games behind eighth place only halfway through the season. if they keep playing like this though, its just not happening.
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Starters: Chris Paul | Morris Peterson | Peja Stojakovic | David West | Emeka Okafor
Rotation: Dejuan Blair, James Posey, Rasual Butler, Antonio Daniels, Julian Wright, Hilton Armstrong, Adam Hanga
Team Leaders:
Points Per Game: Paul (23.7); West (17.8); Okafor (14.8)
Rebounds Per Game: Okafor (9.6); West (8.1); Blair (4.8)
Assists Per Game: Paul (10.1); Daniels (3.6); West (2.5)

[Fresh8]

Hate Houston cause they got Bosh now. Boooooooooo!!!!

[Lamrock]

Why? I like the twin towers thing that have going on. Wait... you mean Booooooooo-osh right? Boooooooooooo-osh!!!

[Fresh8]

No... Yao is the man. He doesn't need Bosh. He just needs a good pg.

[The X]

Can't believe how bad the Jazz are. Somebody save Deron Williams' career & get him out of there

[Valor]

Can't believe how bad the Jazz are. Somebody save Deron Williams' career & get him out of there

same goes for the Hornets and CP3...what happened? 2k9 hates point guard-led teams or something?

[kibaxx7]

Manu's a solid 20-5-4. Loving it

[hova-]

Spurs are doing nice. Im a bit surprised that the Rockets arent doing better. Yao/Bosh should be tough to beat. Mavs are underachieving.

[Martti.]

[dare]

Lol Nash is a whiner

[The X]

Lol Nash is a whiner

Yep, he's 5% the whiner that Kobe is. You don't see Nash demanding trades & belittling teammates like Kobe does.