Houston, We Had A Dynasty - Officially Retired

[Axel The Great]

Good stuff man. Great to see K-Mart scoring high EVERY GAME.

Are you 1st seed in the West?

Also glad to see Phoenix up there!

Yeah, with that record, it'd be odd to not be a first seed.

Despite their real life record, I still can't believe the Spurs traded away Scola.

If you can cheat the Spurs out of a good player they drafted, you're one heck of a GM.

Loving the constant updates! 70 is out of question, but maybe you can get the dirty 69?

Here's to hoping I don't, but 69 is just a number anyways, it has no significance.

Wouldn't have expected the Kings to take you down and put an end to any hopes of winning 70, but at this point whatever you finish with is going to be a great record. Looking forward to the postseason!

The Kings game was atrocious, even Kevin Martin was shooting poorly.

Haha Pryzbilla got raped.
With this teams, a championship is within reach

Defensively, Przybilla was a good acquisition by the Pistons in the off-season, with the loss of Ben Wallace.
We have too much talent to not win a championship.

Great job getting the two wins,despite winning the Bulls.
I predict a 3-4 on the last 4 games. Maybe a loss with the thunder.

The Suns could also possibly beat me, Steve Nash is always the reason why.

Despite Ellis's huge game offensively, Clutch's Warriors couldn't get the job done.

Damn you

crazy busy again but just dropping by... tough loss v. Kings but historically Amar'e always gives Yao trouble (at least IRL)... awesome to see K-Mart on his way to another scoring title and the team doing great in general ... GL closing out the reg. season and above all else, stay injury-free (espec. Yao!)

Your Warriors' ineptness at getting defensive stops is great! Really helps me beat them. There's an upcoming article about Yao, I'm resting him for the last three games. (There are no in-game injuries in Live 10, but I just thought to add a bit of realism to the story.)

[Axel The Great]

RedNation News Article

Rockets to Rest Yao Ming Before the Season's End

Local sources have been told by head coach Rick Adelman that they will rest Yao Ming for the last three games of the season. This means he will play the next game against the Milwaukee Bucks, but will not play against the Golden State Warriors, the Phoenix Suns, or the Oklahoma City Thunder. Now you may ask, why would you rest the tallest player in the NBA? Injuries. Yao may have been injury-free this season and last, but it's better to play it safe, and to have Yao well-rested and healthy for the postseason.

"It's for the best. It's better to not have Yao and blow off the last three games of the season, than to have him injured and miss the postseason," Rockets veteran forward Jared Jeffries said on the subject. "He's not our first option on offense anymore with K-Mart destroying every defense out there, but he is excellent at reaching over you for rebounds. It'll definitely be hard for us as a team to make up for his absence on defense," Chuck Hayes said. With the absence of Yao, Chuck Hayes will start for the first time since the 2008-09 season. Rookie Gregory Costa will be called up from the NBA Developmental League to come off the bench, providing solid backup for Hayes.

This move will cause a bit of trouble. The Rio Grande Valley Vipers are thriving in the NBDL playoffs; they've swept the Texas Legends in the first round. They cruised to easy double-digit victories in both of the games played. Without Costa now, the Vipers won't have an inside presence. However, they will still have their main star Brad Halstead, who had back-to-back triple doubles in that series, and led the league in triple-doubles with five.

Rick Adelman also thought of resting Kevin Martin, but Martin just outright refused to rest. He wants to make sure his team doesn't fall apart with his absence, and will play the last few games to raise his scoring average to prevent Amar'e Stoudemire from passing him up for the scoring title.

Yao Ming's presence will be missed the last three games of the season, but if the Rockets win a championship with his help, it really won't matter. Expect coverage from us in the playoffs.

[rise]

Good move, don't want Yao getting injured on the last game of the regular season.

[kibaxx7]

Safe decision.

[Axel The Great]

As safe as Yao's 24 MPG from real life. Thanks for the feedback guys. 4-Game Recap is next.

[Axel The Great]

4-Game Recap

[65-13] Houston Rockets 95-93 Milwaukee Bucks [38-38]


Redd's good days are long gone. He shot 2/14 from the field, and 0/6 from deep.

Yao's last game of the regular season, he made the best of it. A solid 13 points and 13 rebounds is a good way to close out your season. All game, the Rockets had control, but the Bucks were lurking very, very close. The Bucks were crashing the boards, as Andrew Bogut (14 points, 17 boards), and Al Thornton (18 points, 14 boards), combined for 31 rebounds. John Salmons ended up being the top scorer, and the performer of the game.

However, Kevin Martin really stood out. He scored his third game-winner of the season. He drove to the right wing, and got off a shot, a clear look, and it went in. With .6 seconds on the clock, the Bucks couldn't do much, and the Rockets prevailed.

SPOTG-

John Salmons
30 points | 7 reb | 1 ast | 1 stl

Top Scorers-
Rockets: Kevin Martin- 26
Bucks: John Salmons- 30

Board Crashers-
Rockets: Yao Ming- 13
Bucks: Andrew Bogut- 17

Assists-
Rockets: Aaron Brooks- 5
Bucks: Brandon Jennings- 11

Box Score-
25 25 25 20 95
21 25 27 20 93


The lifting blow.

[66-13] Houston Rockets 102-94 Golden State Warriors [37-41]


On Yao's first game out, Gregory Costa provided a solid 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks off the bench. The mustache never fails.

Yao's absence didn't really bother the Rockets. The Warriors had a huge run in the second quarter, and were actually playing defense. Go figure. Despite that, the Rockets held them down, but had to endure Anthony Morrow's three-point dump. Even without Yao, the Rockets crashed the boards pretty well, and now reach a franchise high 67 wins for the season.

SPOTG-

Kevin Martin
34 points | 4 reb | 3 ast | 2 blk

Top Scorers-
Rockets: Kevin Martin- 34
Warriors: Anthony Morrow- 23

Board Crashers-
Rockets: Jared Jeffries- 8
Warriors: Andris Biedrins- 13

Assists-
Rockets: Aaron Brooks- 9
Warriors: Stephen Curry- 10

Box Score-
31 19 24 28 102
19 25 23 27 94

[67-13] Houston Rockets 86-90 Phoenix Suns [57-24]


Three-point shots dropped all night for the Suns.

This was the last game of the season for the Suns. And they won. They have the second seed in the West. Yao's absence really hurt the Rockets. Robin Lopez and rookie Pat Cooke were getting offensive rebounds gallore. Despite a huge fourth quarter effort, the Rockets came up short.

SPOTG-

Jason Richardson
26 points | 5 ast | 3 reb | 1 blk

Top Scorers-
Rockets: Kevin Martin- 28
Suns: Jason Richardson- 26

Board Crashers-
Rockets: Chuck Hayes- 9
Suns: Robin Lopez- 12

Assists-
Rockets: Ray Allen- 3
Suns: Steve Nash- 10

Box Score-
25 20 20 21 86
25 21 27 17 90


Using Chuck Hayes's excellent passing abilities, the Rockets were able to execute the inside-outside game.

[67-14] Houston Rockets 101-108 Oklahoma City Thunder [48-33]


The Rockets allowed too many dunks from LeBron late in the game.

This was a close game. The first half was a disappointment for the Rockets, though. No defense, and not crashing the boards was what held them down. However, they went on an 8-0 run to start the third quarter, and from then on, both teams traded buckets. With the game tied at 98, LeBron James got past Kevin Martin for an easy dunk. Rockets bricked on their next possession, and LeBron James once again got an easy dunk. James had 21 points on the night, but that's nothing compared to Kevin Durant's 39. The Rockets gave an effort to try to come back, but clutch free throws by the Thunder didn't allow it. The Rockets finish 67-15 for the season, a one win increase from last season, and a franchise high.

SPOTG-

Russell Westbrook
27 points | 13 ast | 6 reb | 1 stl

Top Scorers-
Rockets: Kevin Martin- 37
Thunder: Kevin Durant- 39

Board Crashers-
Rockets: Jared Jeffries and Luis Scola- 6
Thunder: Ambrosse Rutherford and Jeff Green- 10

Assists-
Rockets: Kyle Lowry- 5
Thunder: Russell Westbrook- 13

Box Score-
26 26 28 21 101
31 29 20 28 108


K-Mart's play may have been phenomenal, but his 1/5 from three wasn't. He is still the scoring champion though.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There, end of season. I already know my first round opponent for the playoffs, but I'm not saying yet. Next are the end of season review, April Summary, and awards, then the playoffs matchups.

[Andrew]

Realistic move resting Yao for the last few games. Bring on the first round!

[rise]

WOOO!! Phoenix wins!!
haha, good luck in the first round, Axel.!

[George7]

Good Luck on the first round Axel!
Hopefully you can make the repeat!

[kibaxx7]

Sucks to see Michael Redd like that

[Axel The Great]

Cheers Andrew, z02, and George7. Thierry, there was a red light for Redd.

April Summary

East Player of the Month-
Dwyane Wade- 27.8 ppg, 5 apg, 1.2 bpg, 2.3 spg
East Rookie of the Month-
Elmo Ellison [IND]- 14.5 ppg, 1.4 spg
West Player of the Month-
Chris Bosh [MIN]- 30.5 ppg, 15.4 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.8 bpg, 1.1 spg
West Rookie of the Month-
Amory Miller [LAC]- 19.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 4.1 apg, 1.6 bpg, 1.6 spg

League Leaders-
Scoring- Kevin Martin(28.6), Amar'e Stoudemire[SAC](27.4), Chris Paul(27.3), Chris Bosh and Ben Gordon(26.4)
Rebounds- Al Jefferson(12.8), Brook Lopez(12.6), Tim Duncan and Channing Frye(12.2), Andrew Bynum(12.1)
Assists- Russell Westbrook(10.3), Tyreke Evans(9.5), Steve Nash(9.3), Jose Calderon(9.1), Baron Davis(8.7)
Steals- Dwyane Wade and Gerald Wallace(1.9), Chris Paul, Devin Harris, and Tyreke Evans(1.8)
Blocks- Roy Hibbert and Dwight Howard(2.6), Jermaine O'Neal[MIA], Tyrus Thomas[UTA], and Tyson Chandler[CHA](2.5)

Standings-
East-
Magic 46-36*
Pacers 45-37*
Nets 42-40*
Pistons 42-40
Heat 41-41
Wizards 41-41
Bucks 40-42
Knicks 40-42
--------------------------------------------
Bobcats 39-43
Bulls 39-43
Celtics 37-45
Raptors 37-45
Cavaliers 36-46
76ers 36-46
Hawks 31-51

West-
Rockets 67-15*
Suns 58-24*
Thunder 49-33*
Lakers 49-33
Clippers 46-36
Nuggets 44-38
TrailBlazers 43-39
Timberwolves 40-42
-----------------------------------------------------
Grizzlies 38-44
Warriors 37-45
Hornets 36-46
Kings 36-46
Jazz 35-47
Spurs 33-49
Mavericks 27-55

*- Denotes division leader
Note: Players without team tags are still with their respective teams from real life.

Awards and End of Season review are next.

[Axel The Great]

NBA End of Season Awards

Most Valuable Player:
Amar'e Stoudemire [SAC]- 27.4 ppg, 11.9 rpg, 2 bpg, 1 spg

Most Improved Player:
DJ Augustin- 16 ppg, 6.9 apg, 1.2 spg

Defensive Player of the Year:
Tyrus Thomas [UTA]- 6.6 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.5 bpg, 1.4 spg

Rookie of the Year:
Amory Miller [LAC]- 14.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.6 apg, 1.3 spg, 1.3 bpg

6th Man of the Year:
Lamar Odom- 8.9 ppg, 4.7 rpg

All NBA 1st Team-
C Yao Ming- 14.3 ppg, 11 rpg, 1.4 bpg
PF Amar'e Stoudemire- (see above for stats)
SF Kevin Durant- 24.5 ppg, 9 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.4 spg
SG Kevin Martin- 28.6 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.8 apg
PG Steve Nash- 23.5 ppg, 9.3 apg, 1.2 spg

All NBA 2nd Team-
C Al Jefferson- 13.3 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 2.5 bpg
PF Chris Bosh [MIN]- 26.4 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 1.1 spg, 2.8 apg
SF LeBron James [OKC]- 24.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.7 bpg, 1.4 spg, 3 apg
SG Kobe Bryant- 25.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 1.6 spg, 5.5 apg
PG Chris Paul- 27.3 ppg, 1.8 spg, 8.3 apg

All NBA Defensive 1st Team-
C Al Jefferson- (see above for stats)
PF Tyrus Thomas- (see above for stats)
SF Gerald Wallace- 22.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.9 spg, 3.1 apg
SG Dwyane Wade- 25.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.9 spg, 4.7 apg
PG Mo Williams- 25.2 ppg, 1 bpg, 1.7 spg, 7.2 apg

All NBA Defensive 2nd Team-
C Jermaine O'Neal [MIA]- 9.4 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 2.5 bpg
PF Michael Beasley [MIA]- 19.1 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 2 bpg, 1.2 spg
SF Kevin Durant- (see above for stats)
SG Andre Iguodala- 21.3 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg, 1.6 spg, 4.6 apg
PG Delonte West [CLE]- 12.4 ppg, 1.1 bpg, 1.5 spg, 4.5 apg

All Rookie 1st Team-
SF Amory Miller- (see above for stats)
C Ambrosse Rutherford [OKC]- 2.9 ppg, 8 rpg, 1.5 bpg
SG Elmo Ellison [IND]- 13.3 ppg, 1.2 spg
C Dan Williams [NJN]- 3.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.3 bpg
SG Walter Schmitz [CHA]- 8.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg

All Rookie 2nd Team-
SG Kyle Barry [ORL]- 7 ppg, 2.2 apg
SF **James Johnson [CHI]- 6.5 ppg, 2.8 rpg
PG Alexander Fortsen [MIN]- 6.4 ppg, 3.2 apg
SG Julian Fekete [UTA]- 6 ppg, 1.4 apg
SF Rudolf McGrath [WAS]- 4.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

**- James Johnson spent all last season on the inactive list for the Bulls. This season was the first time he got playing time, therefore the game considered him a rookie, similar to Blake Griffin's situation in real life.
Note: Players without team tags are still with their respective teams from real life.

[Andrew]

That's a very lacklustre Eastern Conference. The Spurs and Mavericks really bottomed out in the West, too.

Good to see Martin capture the scoring crown and make the All-NBA First Team.

[rise]

I say 67 wins! Good luck on the next 12 games, you'll win 9 of them!

I CALLED IT!!!

Great job getting K-Mart on the NBA First Team! Amare' getting MVP is crazy, but not completely unexpected as LeBron and Durant are sharing a stage!
The East sucked hard: 1st seed Magic at only 46 wins! Surprised to not see Celtics, Jazz, Spurs, and Mavericks missed the playoffs!

Great job on leading the league. I want to see a hard fought conference finals with Phoenix!!

[Houndy]

I expect a 4-3 first round against Bosh and Boozer. I don't know why, but the AI better step it up, or I'll be pissed.

[Axel The Great]

End of Season Review

It's that time of the season. I have a brief analysis of all 14 Rockets players, with their performance throughout the regular season, and their stats. Here we go.

Inactive List

Brad Halstead- Halstead learned a lot his rookie season, especially how to get along with his teammates. With his arrogance out of the way, he is a much more respectable player. He didn't show much promise in the games he did play in the NBA, but what he showed is acceptable. He is a quick 6'9' forward whom, if developed properly, can turn out to be a versatile defender. He needs to work on his jumpshot and turnovers. If he can translate his D-League triple-doubles to the NBA level, he will be one of the greatest draft steals in NBA history.

Gregory Costa- Costa showed he is an automatic draft steal this season. While not the most athletic 7-footer, he has tremendous post moves, and can shoot the ball extremely well. He is also a rebounding machine. As the last pick of the first round in the 2010 NBA Draft, he's shown promise as that of a lottery pick.

Bench

Jordan Hill- Hill had an excellent season after the All-Star break. He has established a reputation for being an excellent interior defender, blocking shots, and altering inside shots. He has a decent mid-range jumpshot, and is a really explosive face-up forward. He has an excellent future in the NBA.

Jared Jeffries- Jeffries was acquired for his defense. However, he gave more than that. He has a good perimeter jumpshot, and can block shots. An excellent rebounder, the veteran was a solid player throughout the whole season.

Donte Greene- Despite getting shot in the leg by Damon Stoudamire, after his recovery, his scoring average went up. Averaging over five points a game off the bench is an excellent scoring boost for the Rockets. He can posterize you if you're not careful, he is also an excellent backdoor cutter. His strength is to get to the basket, but can also shoot the ball well. He had an all-around great season, hopefully he can play that well, or better, in the playoffs.

Chase Budinger- Bud has established a reputation for being a sharpshooter. He had the highest three-point percentage among the Rockets, but he needs to improve his ball handling abilities, as that led to many turnovers throughout the season. He is not afraid to take the big shot.

Chuck Hayes- The Chuckwagon will never be a scorer. His main role is to defend bigger centers/forwards, and does an excellent job of it. He outhustles, outrebounds, and outplays everyone on defense. With a weird free throw shooting form, he makes up for it in being a sturdy defender.

Kyle Lowry- Lowry, a tough guard, is a solid backup point guard for Houston. He's not your best shooter, but he can get to the basket with ease. With excellent passing skills, he is a poor man's Derrick Rose (sans extreme athleticism), he can be a matchup nightmare when he has it going.

Ray Allen- Allen was brought to the Rockets for added scoring. He did that well. He still has the right shooting rhythm despite his age. He was usually the only player off the bench to score in double figures, providing K-Mart some excellent backup.

Starters

Luis Scola- Scola did not have a very good season. He shot a mdeiocre 45% from the field, and didn't show much consistency in the season. He tended to rely too much on perimeter shooting to get his points. It'd be preferable if he could be more aggressive in the playoffs, he can be very effective when attacking the rim.

Shane Battier- Unlike last year, Battier has been pretty quiet on defense. It may have to do with age, he's not as fast or agile as he used to. It may also have to do with the pressure that he's starting. Still, he can defend pretty well, and is a good option on offense too.

Aaron Brooks- He was quiet this season. Not his best season in terms of scoring, but on defense, he stepped it up a notch. He was able to force turnovers from other point guards, which led to many fast breaks. He will need to be more aggressive in the playoffs to be more effective.

Yao Ming- Although he lost some of his consistency in scoring, he still rebounded the ball well. His shot blocking abilities are still there, too. Yao will have to play like last year's playoffs in order for the Rockets to have a chance at the championship. Twenty plus rebound games would be an excellent start.

Kevin Martin- Consistency. Martin was the most consistent player on this roster all season long. Scoring 28.6 points per contest on a VERY efficient 52% from the field, he is definitely the odds-on favorite for carrying this team to another title. If he can maintain his consistency throughout the playoffs, this may very well end up being a repeat.


Thanks to Houndy for showing me these tables.
Note: I'm very inept at forcing turnovers in this game, so the SPG averages are extremely low.

Percentage Leaders-
FT%- Kevin Martin (96%, 460/481), Ray Allen (94%, 133/141), Yao Ming (94%, 313/332), Luis Scola (94%, 82/87), Aaron Brooks (91%, 102/112)
FG%- Yao Ming (57%, 409/724), Kevin Martin (52%, 892/1732), Jared Jeffries (49%, 134/271), Chase Budinger (49%, 172/363), Aaron Brooks (49%, 382/784)
3P%- Chase Budinger (53%, 27/51), Aaron Brooks (48%, 80/168), Shane Battier (44%, 30/69), Kevin Martin (36%, 101/282), Ray Allen (35%, 61/144)

Note: Three-point attempts are low because I tend to stay away from them, don't know why, but I just do.

Last edited by Axel The Great on Tue Nov 30, 2010 7:07 am, edited 3 times in total.

[Axel The Great]

That's a very lacklustre Eastern Conference. The Spurs and Mavericks really bottomed out in the West, too.

Good to see Martin capture the scoring crown and make the All-NBA First Team.

There is the bad sim engine in Live 10 that we very much love!

I was surprised to find Yao in the All-NBA First Team, but Martin isn't much of a surprise. It's very satisfying to beat Kobe to it.

I say 67 wins! Good luck on the next 12 games, you'll win 9 of them!

I CALLED IT!!!

Great job getting K-Mart on the NBA First Team! Amare' getting MVP is crazy, but not completely unexpected as LeBron and Durant are sharing a stage!
The East sucked hard: 1st seed Magic at only 46 wins! Surprised to not see Celtics, Jazz, Spurs, and Mavericks missed the playoffs!

Great job on leading the league. I want to see a hard fought conference finals with Phoenix!!

You definitely did, good call.

LeBron and Durant probably took the sacrifice of not being able to get MVP's, so Amar'e was really able to shine. I sure hope I don't go against Phoenix, I hate Steve Nash more than Kobe in Live.

I expect a 4-3 first round against Bosh and Boozer. I don't know why, but the AI better step it up, or I'll be pissed.

Well I swept the season series. Outside of Bosh, Boozer, and Love, no one else is consistent, so it's just too easy.

[Stress Fracture]

Celtics not making the playoffs?

[Andrew]

It's a shame you're moving on to NBA 2K11, I'd kind of like to see Halstead get more of a run next season. Definitely another fun season to follow along with, though.

[Martti.]

Glad to see Tyrus win DPOY.

A real shame, K-Mart should have won MVP, not Amar'e, whose Kings didn't make the post-season.

[George7]

Martin should really be the MVP!

Sucks to see Bulls out of the playoffs,though Johnson is on the 2nd Rookie Team...
Good luck on the playoffs and get ready for the repeat!

[kibaxx7]

Great to see K-Mart win the scoring title again

[Axel The Great]

Celtics not making the playoffs?

It's all Trevor (brick-shooting) Ariza's fault. Glad I dumped his ass.

It's a shame you're moving on to NBA 2K11, I'd kind of like to see Halstead get more of a run next season. Definitely another fun season to follow along with, though.

It kinda hurts me to ditch this game, too. The gameplay gripes with the CPU and all the huge handicaps put against us is a deal-breaker though. Don't worry, once the season's over, I'm planning on including an epilogue, in which I will tell the story of how all my players' careers turned out.

Glad to see Tyrus win DPOY.

A real shame, K-Mart should have won MVP, not Amar'e, whose Kings didn't make the post-season.

It was Howard's all season long, but that mid-season injury killed his chances.

There is no rule that says the MVP's team has to go to the post season, but I agree, K-Mart should be the MVP.

Martin should really be the MVP!

Sucks to see Bulls out of the playoffs,though Johnson is on the 2nd Rookie Team...
Good luck on the playoffs and get ready for the repeat!

That repeat is in the bag!

Great to see K-Mart win the scoring title again

Yeah, he took the lead in scoring near the end of the season. Stat had a huge fall from grace.

[Lamrock]

You should do like Sit did with Ty and Chara, and import Halstead into the 2011 draft class.

[Andrew]

It kinda hurts me to ditch this game, too. The gameplay gripes with the CPU and all the huge handicaps put against us is a deal-breaker though. Don't worry, once the season's over, I'm planning on including an epilogue, in which I will tell the story of how all my players' careers turned out.

Understandable. An epilogue would be good.