NELLIEBALL! | Finished.

[Lamrock]

Damn. Fairly negative response to the CP3 trade. Hopefully you can forgive the deal when standard recaps resume.

[dare]

well I like the CP3 trade it makes the Magics a contender

[hova-]

I also think the CP3 trade is not so bad at all. The Magic are the team to beat in the East now, but I also love how Cleveland countered with a very good deal by themselves.
The Pistons will be interesting next season if they manage to use their cap room effectively. They might also get a high draft pick playing the rest of the season with this starting five

Nice updates. Im eager to see how it turns out for those teams.

[Fresh8]

Damn. Fairly negative response to the CP3 trade. Hopefully you can forgive the deal when standard recaps resume.

I can understand why it was done... I just don't like CP3 there.

[The X]

Glad Paul is out of New Orleans. There shouldn't even be an NBA team there anyways. Deal is balanced out as Hornets get very good PG in Nelson, dump Peja's horrible contract & get Hedo's expiring one. Magic don't care about contracts, they are just trying to win.

Rest of trades seem alright with exception of that shocker with the Magic robbing Sefolosha from the Thunder for Swift

[Martti.]

Magic made some great moves. The Sefolosha move is also to my liking.

[Cartar]

Congrats on the milestone and thanks for the shoutout. Just like with Sit's, Thierry's and with some other dynasties(associations) I am following all the time, just don't post that often.

The Magic-Hornets swap is quite a ripoff in my opinion. Turkoglu is on downfall of his career, Nelson is great and everything, but not up to the level of Paul and Battie is just a scrub. Stojakovic salary dump makes the trade little more fair, but it doesn't really matter to the Magic as they probably won't have cap space any time soon. But I do have to admit that it makes things a lot more interesting, so maybe the Hornets can start to rebuild again and Paul-Howard combo is the best since Bryant-O'Neal. Plus I think Stojakovic will flourish again in Orlando and will be a solid 6th man(or will he start?) for them.

[Mark.]

Yeah I like the moves the magic made! Now they are looking pretty darn strong. I was going to say they now lack a SF or SG who can be relied on to create shots... but do you really need that when you have CP3?

[Lamrock]

There is a four-game recap coming this weekend. With the patch and a good set of sliders for 2K10, I have made a decision: the 2010-11 season will be played in NBA 2K10. I will be converting all of the rosters accordingly. Don't worry, that doesn't mean this will be any less active for the remainder of this season. I will make it work. Thoughts?

[The X]

There is a four-game recap coming this weekend. With the patch and a good set of sliders for 2K10, I have made a decision: the 2010-11 season will be played in NBA 2K10. I will be converting all of the rosters accordingly. Don't worry, that doesn't mean this will be any less active for the remainder of this season. I will make it work. Thoughts?

With editable draft classes & controlling all 30 teams (if you choose to do so), then yes, it is very do-able. Just a bit of work upfront with all roster changes.

[Lamrock]

Yeah, that will be the hardest part. Salaries will be the biggest pain, but I can do it. With the patch and a good set of sliders, 2K10 is the superior game. Gotta love in-game saves and upgraded graphics.

[Lightning Strike]

You can make in-game saves in 2K10? That's neat! I like this idea, although I don't really think this is going to change anything to the viewers, but as long as you don't get bored and disinterested while doing it and decide to give up the association.

[Lamrock]

Don't think that happens. I think it just means slightly improved pics and stats, along with more played games most likely. Found an amazing set of sliders, and a good roster to use as a foundation for the roster rebuilding.

[Fresh8]

Lucky I did not get 2K10 or ALIB II would probably end.

[|)e8*]

Well good luck with converting man, wil be pretty cool to see thisin 2k10

[hova-]

Good decision. I hope you can translate the roster without too much work. I thought about it one times with my Knicks Dynasty, but as I do not have the dbf files anymore I can't translate it to my ps3 and 2k10.

[Mark.]

Yeah converting to 2k10 is a good idea. I love the new game. What sliders are you going to use for it? And what is this patch? I thought it wasn't coming out til Jan?

[The X]

Yeah converting to 2k10 is a good idea. I love the new game. What sliders are you going to use for it? And what is this patch? I thought it wasn't coming out til Jan?

Lamrock plays on 360 (I play on PS3). First patch came out last month. We get our second patch in January when PC users get a combined patch at a similar (probably later) time. Trust me Mark, if you like the game now, you'll love the way it plays after the patch

[Lamrock]

|---THE WARRIOR ZONE---|
Warriors Report: February 11-February 21, 2010

February 21, 2010, 11:34 PM - Had a couple things gone differently, I could be reporting on the 31-23, fifth place Warriors right now, but no. Had Kevin Martin not sunk that incredible three at the end of regulation we could have at least taken one game of our back-to-back with the Kings, but no. Stephen Jackson could have hit that potential game-winner at the end of regulation in Sacramento in the second of our back-to-backs but no. A pivotal pair of back-to-back losses against Sacramento proved to be the difference between holding a half-game lead (and tiebreaker) for fifth place, and behind 3.5 games (without a tiebreaker) out of the fifth spot.

The last game before the all-star break was a surprisingly close one in the Bradley Center against Michael Redd and the overachieving Bucks. It took a pair of threes by Rudy Fernandez to prevent an amazing fourth quarter comeback. After All-Star Weekend, we suffered a pair of losses to our primary opponent, the Sacramento Kings, who are now on their way to the upper-echelon of the West. Fortunately, we can take solace in the fact that we at least blew out the slumping Thunder, who are now a game out of the playoff picture. While Ricky Rubio has been fairly underwhelming as of late (averaging 5 points and 3.5 assists per game this month), Steve Nash has been playing like a star, being the team's best player and putting up consistently strong numbers, averaging 19 points and 14 assists over the past four games. Lets just hope he can keep it up.

I changed the format of the recaps. I'm not exactly sure whether they are improved, aside of the addition of a second picture. I fear it is a bit too similar to hova's (superior) style. Tell me what you think. What I like about this is that it no longer constrains me to four and six game recaps, though that's what this is. Everything just looks a little off though. Suggestions are always welcome.



Golden State 102 @ Milwaukee 97
February 11, 2010 - Steve Nash continued his excellent February with a season high 21 assists (to go with 20 points) in his first 20-20 game of the year. However, the game wasn't a wash like you might expect. The Bucks, 26-27, are hanging on to a playoff spot, despite an underpowered roster led by aging all-star Michael Redd. Redd and rookie Jonny Flynn caught fire, leading Milwaukee to a 27-20 lead after one. The second quarter was a sea change, as Nash dished 8 of his 21 assists, Redd's shots stopped falling and Andrew Bogut got in foul trouble. The Warriors lead got up to 10 until Flynn sunk a three at the halftime buzzer.
----------The second half was more of the same. The Warrior lead got as high at 21 before the Bucks finished the quarter on a 13-4 run against Golden State's reserves. This continued into the fourth quarter. Michael Redd scored 15 of his 32 in the fourth, and held opposing starter Anthony Morrow scoreless in the process. The incendiary play put the home side within two points with 35 seconds remaining. Then it was Spaniard reserve Rudy Fernandez to the rescue. The 6'6" guard banked a three-pointer on the next possession, then, following a dunk by Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, hit another to put the game away. A visibly disappointed Michael Redd stalked into the locker room after the game.
Player Of The Game: Steve Nash (20 points, 21 assists, 4 rebounds)
Nelliepoints
1. Nash: 20/4/21
2. Randolph: 15/12/2
3. Fernandez: 16/3/5
RECORD: 28-23



Sacramento 115 @ Golden State 114 [OT]
February 17, 2010 - What a heartbreaker. At home for the first of two back-to-back games against the Kings, the Warriors really wanted the win. With the Kings being close division rivals, and sitting just a place higher on the standings, the game had playoff implications. And for the first half, the Warriors played like it. Taking a six point lead after one quarter, then jumping out to a thirteen point lead at the half, Anthony Randolph and the Warriors looked like they were cruising to victory. Then, Kevin Martin showed up. Scoring 18 of his 38 in the third, Martin led his team to a huge third quarter, in which they outscored the Warriors 38-24.
----------Going into the fourth quarter down 1, the Warriors traded baskets with the Kings in the fourth, with neither team being able to pull away. Anthony Morrow made an amazing clutch four-point play with 15 seconds left to put Golden State up three. Kirk Hinrich missed a potential game-tying three, but Chris "Birdman" Andersen grabbed the offensive board and dished it to the open Kevin Martin. Martin swished a three at the buzzer, and then there was overtime. In OT, neither team scored for the first three minutes, until a Stephen Jackson trey ended the drought. The Warriors would take a 112-105 lead with a minute left, but it wouldn't last, as Carlos Boozer took control on offense, and the Kings stopped them with suffocating defense. Down a point with six seconds left and the ball, Steve Nash airballed a potential game-winner to end the game.
Player Of The Game: Kevin Martin (38 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds, 11-19 FG, 8-8 FT)
Nelliepoints:
1. Randolph: 27/11/3
2. Jackson: 17/8/8
3. Morrow: 22/5/3
RECORD: 28-24



Golden State 121 @ Sacramento 126 [OT]
February 18, 2010 - The thrilling season series between the Kings and the Warriors came to an end with yet another overtime match, with Sacramento unfortunately coming out on top yet again. The game seemed to be just like the last one, with the home team jumping out to a big start, and the road team turning it around. The Sacramento dynamic duo helped lead the Kings to a 31-20 first quarter. However, Steve Nash caught fire in the second, scoring 14 of his 26 in the period to help the Warriors get within four points by halftime. The Warriors managed to keep the momentum into the third quarter, at one point holding a five point lead. However, the Kings finished the quarter with a 14-4 run to turn the game back in their favor.
----------Kirk Hinrich and Kevin Martin kept the Kings on top with their barrage of threes, but Anthony Morrow caught fire in the third, singlehandedly leading the Warriors on a 10-2 run late in the quarter. With 10 seconds left, it was Warriors ball with the score tied. A well-planned play left Stephen Jackson seemingly open, until Birdman came out of nowhere to swat it. Overtime was one-sided as Boozer scored the first six points of the period, and the Warriors failed to get enough stops. The Kings were in control for the entire overtime period, and took the second of two back-to-backs 126-121, and the season series 3-1. Interestingly, Anthony Morrow posted the exact same number of points, rebounds and assists in both games against Sacramento.
Player Of The Game: Carlos Boozer (25 points, 17 rebounds, 5 assists, 11-16 FG)
Nelliepoints:
1. Nash: 26/3/13
2. Randolph: 22/11/8
3. Morrow: 22/5/3
RECORD: 28-25



Oklahoma City 101 @ Golden State 119
February 20, 2010 - In a battle between two teams fighting for their playoff lives, the match between the Golden State Warriors and Oklahoma City Thunder was surprisingly one-sided. The Warriors, coming off a pair of heartbreaking losses against the Kings, were hungry for a win. The Warriors jumped out to a double-digit first quarter lead, with Kevin Durant needing a pair of three-pointers to stop the bleeding. The Warriors continued to dominate in the second quarter, jumping out to a thirteen point lead at the half. Scott Brooks remarked during a halftime interview that his team deserved to "be down 20 or 25". Can't argue with that.
----------The third quarter saw the Thunder go down 20 points, then 25. Stephen Jackson had 14 of his 29 in the third, as the Warriors took an insurmountable 93-69 lead going into the fourth. The rest of the game consisted of garbage time, which, aside of new Thunder acquisition Stromile Swift scoring 12 points, was uneventful. The Warriors coasted to a 119-101 victory, putting them in a tie for sixth in the West with the Denver Nuggets (who have the tiebreaker). The Thunder meanwhile, fall to tenth place, and a game out of the playoff picture. "We're slumping man, we're slumping", a clearly upset Russell Westbrook said after the game.
Player Of The Game: Stephen Jackson (29 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 10-18 FG, 5-8 3PT)
Nelliepoints:
1. Jackson: 29/7/3
2. Nash: 17/2/15
3. Morrow: 21/4/2
RECORD: 29-25
Nelliepoints Standings
February:
Nash: 17
Jackson: 16
Randolph: 15
Morrow: 4
Biedrins: 1
Fernandez: 1

Overall:
Randolph: 75
Jackson: 58
Nash: 57
Morrow: 16
Fernandez: 13
Biedrins: 11
Rubio: 7

Pacific Division Standings:
(1) Lakers 37-18 | GB: 0
(5) Kings 33-22 | GB: 4
(7) Warriors 29-25 | GB: 7.5
(8) Clippers 30-26 | GB: 7.5
Suns 24-33 | GB: 14

Playoff Picture:
1. LA Lakers 37-18*
2. Portland 35-19*
3. San Antonio 35-20*
4. Houston 34-21
5. Sacramento 33-22
6. Denver 29-25
7. Golden State 29-25
8. LA Clippers 30-26
----------
Dallas 29-26 | GB: 0.5
Oklahoma City 29-27 | GB: 1
New Orleans 25-29 | GB: 4

---Around The NBA---
The new-look Cavaliers and Magic played their first game with their mid-season acquisitions against each other. Chris Paul posted a near triple-double with 27, 9 and 9 on 10-15 shooting as the Magic blew the Cavaliers out 102-73. Richard Hamilton posted 16 points on 7-13 shooting.
Sacramento is the hottest team in the league. The Kings, winners of eight straight, are undefeated in the month of February. Led by the dynamic duo of Kevin Martin and Carlos Boozer, they have a comfortable 3.5 game hold on 5th place in the West, and continue to rise.
The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a five game losing streak to start the month, and at 32-25, are now just a game above Amare Stoudemire and the 30-25 Bulls for first place in the Central Division. The two teams face each other in Cleveland on February 22, in a match that could have playoff implications.
Brad Miller appears to be on his way out of Phoenix. After not being traded at the deadline, Miller is rumored to be requesting his contract to be bought out. Miller is averaging career lows nearly across the board. The Spurs, currently starting Matt Bonner at the 5, appear to be interested in his services.
The Lakers have made a trio of signings. The defending champions shored up their roster with former Warriors point guard CJ Watson, journeyman big Melvin Ely and last but not least, veteran Center Jeff Foster. All three were signed to minimum contracts.
The Clippers have recovered from an 4-14 start to improve to 30-26, good (for now) for a spot in the Western Conference playoff picture. The Clippers are on a five game winning streak and are 7-1 in the month of February. Starting Center Shaquille O'Neal, who they acquired in January, called the Clippers "the best team in the NBA".

[cavs4872]

Anthony Morrow made an amazing clutch four-point play with 15 seconds left to put Golden State up three.

I would've loved to have seen that play, though I would've really been frustrated if I lost two straight games in overtime. Tough luck.

[Lightning Strike]

Awesome write-ups Lamrock, I don't think I've ever heard of those players that the Lakers signed. Tough break against Sacramento though, two losses in OT must have been frustrating to the bone!

By the way, the new format looks nice, I don't think you're copying Hova, but it is an improvement to your old style.

[Martti.]

Paul and Dwight kicked Lebron's ass.

[hova-]

Sweet recap. The Around the League is really cool and informative and also entertaining as well. (Shaq talking about the Clips as the best team ).

Tough back-to-back losses against the Kings, who are a really interesting team with Boozer, Martin, Andersen and Hinrich. How about a team special like Sit does? It's always interesting when teams get turned around to have a closer look Just suggestions. All in all I really like this Dynasty. Hopefully you make the Playoffs and hopefully you can get the switch to 2k10 done.

[dare]

As always awesome recaps Lamrock nice signing by the Lakers those 3 will really help my team

[kibaxx7]

Two straight OT losses against the Kings