A LEGEND IS BORN III

The lonely Buck?
By Carl Column, NBA.com
Posted on October 29th 2013

Jay Gray has never been doubted since his arrival in the NBA. Not by anyone. Not by a bit. And there had been enough facettes of his games you could moan about.

Listed at 6-9, 215 lbs., Gray never had the body of a real power forward. He had neither the height to assert himself on high rebounds, nor the weight to box out his man and get the lower rebounds. He was too small, too wiry, just not the prototypical physical appearance of a NBA power forward.

Doubts? Never. Jay Gray came into this league and proved himself from the very first match. Always focused, always giving 100%, Gray showed that the key to personal success is will & self assurance. He never gave a thing about the scouting reports, the experts saying "he's too small for the NBA, too raw offensively".

After posting 20 and 10 in his final year at TCU, Gray was taken as the second pick of the 2010 draft by the Bucks (behind Jeremy Mason, know who's better?) and he came to play. He was the first player ever in the NBA to win the Defensive Player Of The Year Award and the Rookie Of The Year Award in the same season. Further, he led the league in rebounding per game (13.0) and was voted into the All-Star Game, the All NBA 1st team and the All NBA Defensive 1st team.

The Bucks though, only improved by 8 wins in his first season (27-55 in 09/10 to 35-47 in 10/11). The team was still in rebuilding mode and no one made the rookie responsible for missing the Playoffs. The team was just missing the right keys to unlock the post season door. But nobody doubted that Gray was the Bucks' lock pick of the future.

Without any decent acquisition, Milwaukee went into the 2011-2012 campaign, and Jay Gray did not say a word. He is not the type of guy to point his finger at you. He puts his hand on his chest and says "I need to work on my game". He never demands anything. He just works hard and gives.

Despite a great 11/12 season where he once again led the league in rebounding (12.4) and also showed great improvement offensively (23.9 ppg), the Bucks did not make the cut. They improved their record by two wins compared to the season before, but even dropped two spots in the East (from 10th to 12th).

It was a sign that one player cannot make it alone, a sign the Bucks' front office did not realize, or did not want to realize.

Jay Gray once again made the All NBA 1st team and the All Defensive 1st team, but the situation seemed to become similar to Kevin Garnett's situation with the Timberwolves a decade ago.

Rookie support

Jay Gray must have been happy when the Bucks selected Liam Washburn with their 8th pick in the 2012 draft. Washburn, a decent shooter and great complementary side kick to Gray, definitely helped the Bucks to take their next step. The front office also added veteran Marcus Camby, and finally Gray got the supporting cast he needed.

He never would have said a word though. "I like our roster and I hope I can help to get to the post season this year", Gray said at the Bucks season opening press conference that year. He said that the year before and before his rookie campaign, although he seemed more shy at that time".

The Bucks still did not have a very good squad, but it seemed like Washburn, who enjoyed a great rookie campaign, and Camby, who provided some defensive help for Gray, were the right choices of the Bucks front office. Milwaukee hung on for a positive record, the first in four years (44-38) and was able to grab the fourth spot in the East.

Jay Gray was doing everything for his team once again, even when it meant to give up the ball more often or sit on the bench here and there. The league-wide attention went down and Gray, still more than solid, only made it to the All-NBA 2nd team holding averages of 21 and 11. He didn't care. This guy is all about team, humble and playing the right way, a coaches dream. No attention, no problem.

"It was more of a motivation for me to work even harder", he said after the regular season. And he did so.

Jay Gray single-handedly destroyed the Miami Heat in a six game series averaging more than thirty points and eleven rebounds. It was the first Bucks Playoff series won since the days of Ray Allen & Sam Cassell.

In the second round, he helped his Bucks to beat the Champion Atlanta Hawks in six games. And despite great efforts like his epic 21/18/9 game six vs the Cavs, the Bucks couldn't prevail in the Eastern Finals.

What's next at Milwaukee?

So why is this article called "the lonely Buck"? For a fan of humble, fundamental basketball players like me, the whole Milwaukee situation just does not feel right. Jay Gray looks so much like the Kevin Garnett of the 2000s that it hurts.

The Bucks lost Marcus Camby, Jay Gray's frontcourt partner this season will be Hilton Armstrong. Deshawn Stevenson will start at the two-guard spot. The bench is loaded with stars of yesterday like Antawn Jamison and Andrei Kirilenko. Unless Liam Washburn does not surprisingly turn into an All-Star this season, the Bucks won't make any noise in the Playoffs.

And Jay Gray? He won't say anything. He will work even harder on his game, he will try to motivate his team mates, but he will never make it to the finals.

Last edited by hova- on Fri Dec 17, 2010 9:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Sit, what number do I wear? Can you tell me?

Oh dare...

Now It's Your Chance!

NLSCers, now that I have posted the season previews, it's your turn to submit some articles in anticipation of the start of the season. The best articles will get points. I want to see predictions for the season or a different spin on things that have not been covered. Keep it within the realm of realism and you will be rewarded. People who write about their virtual selves will be penalized. Let's keep things a little interesting.

on the bright side, yours is better than puttin's, but still...

Oh damn I thought were going to have our own rankings because of what puttin did. Oh well I could just delete it or edit it with an article if the judges are okay with that.

Dare: 2/5
Hova: 4/5 (would have liked to see mention of Michael Conley who has been a big part in Bucks' resurgence and their second best player!)

Hova is the benchmark for me right now! Keep them coming.

And don't forget the 2 other judges still gotta give scores and they may have different tastes to me.

Last edited by Fresh8 on Fri Dec 17, 2010 10:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Well this one is definitely going to be a battle between Martti,Lamrock and Hova. If those 2 submit one.

I will allow users to submit 2 articles so Dare gets a second chance.

Yeah, hova owns it right now. Do note that I'm a Jay Gray homer.

Bulls new season still a big question mark
By Sam Smith

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The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Chicago Bulls. All opinions expressed by Sam Smith are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Chicago Bulls or their Basketball Operations staff, parent company, partners, or sponsors. His sources are not known to the Bulls and he has no special access to information beyond the access and privileges that go along with being an NBA accredited member of the media.
===================================================================================================================================================

Clearly the Bulls are on a difficult situation those last 2-3 years. They are capable of being a playoff team, having some great players on their squad,but they are also capable of a mediocre team as they showed last year, failing to play on the post season,and confusing even the most optimistic fans of the team.

I don't know if this team will make a good season or again a mediocre season,but they indeed have some solid players who can really help in many ways.
First off,Derrick Rose. In my opinion,he will be the barometer on how this year will go. 5 years ago, he was selected with the first overall draft pick by the Bulls,and all were hoping for him to be the face of the franchise and the player who can answer all Bulls fan prays for a championship. But for various reasons,he hasn't so far. From my point of view there are two main reasons for his average performance so far.First,he was asked to be the leader too quickly. He wasn't ready and it ruined him.And second he was in the need of the mentor.An experienced PG who could help him develop his game better.Now,he has to find the solution on his own. He has to find a help in order to make the late,as it seems, breakout. All in Chicago are still waiting for him to deliver what they expected 5 years ago.Can he?

A big question mark as well is the rest of the perimeter players. Jackson and Howard are not the players that Rose can utilize offensively as the team's PG. They're solid players,with lots of experience,but at this stage of their careers they can't be anything more than Role Players. None of them is the scoring threat Ben Gordon was,or even Luol Deng was.None of them is fresh and explosive as before.And the Sefolosa-Crawford duo from the bench is not something special,like when the coach had John Salmons and even Kirk Hinrich or Ben Gordon coming from the Bench back in the mid 00s'. A shake up is needed,in order to come a player who can be solid,fresh and great scorer. I would choose Reshawn Tyson to come and frame Derrick Rose,as there are many rumors of him not wanting to be on the shadow of Kevin Durant anymore, but his case is clearly tough for the team.

On the paint area though things are better for the team,with three great options in the squad. Roy Harmon and Eric Smith are clearly solid players for the starting spots in C and PF positions,and especially the latter is a young player who is considered a progressive talent and can revive the spark on the paint ,Chicago has missed so much in the last years,after the huge loss of Joakim Noah,who went to Cleveland and the Cavs,forming a great contenting squad,able to get the King a ring.And not count Roy HIbbert out yet.He's a solid big man out of Georgetown,and Georgetown clearly has the fame of developing great Big Men the past years. He might not had the development many would expect,but he's a sixth man many would love to have on their team.

This season can be a great chance for rebuilding,and why not for re-entering the playoffs again after a long period out.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
As for the rest of the league, the league winners will probably be from the West again,with two teams sharing the spotlight and one Eastern team trying to be a little surprise. The Stealth and the Kings are again the best teams on the league,with the current champions having a great advantage because of the squad they possess.The MVP Moses Chara,and some great second guns like Westbrook,Redd and Jefferson paired with a solid bench.

The Stealth are still "Kevin's Team" with great Starting 5,but they lack of bench options.Iverson is old,while the rest of the bench is just good,but not something great.Coach George Karl returns on the team after a short unsuccessful attempt of the talented GM(but not that talented Coach as it seems) Will Sit to take the championship, and we all want to know,how this will affect Team's motivation and morale.One thing is rumored heavily though,that Durant will be really satisfied from the front office changes.

And there comes a third team in the equation. The Cavs.With a great starting 5 of Felton,Gay,James,Noah and Brock and along with Mo Williams,Papadopoulos,Hicks and Brewer coming up from the bench ,this team is clearly a completed team with respectable options for every position.If James is the leader again and the amazing player we all know,the can be a huge surprise,and get the ring after many failed tries the previous years.

Last edited by George7 on Fri Dec 17, 2010 11:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.

2.5/5.

D Rose averaged 16 ppg, 6 apg last season. His best of his career so far. He is not a big name at all in this virtual NBA.

But I said that he, despite his abilities and his all-star caliber, has to find what is that obstacle which is stopping him from being that great player.

I mean,as Smith is the Bulls insider he knows what Rose can do.But he also knows that there is still something holding him back.

My point is that he doesn't have those abilities or 'all-star caliber'

I see.Maybe I can edit this a little?

Im gonna post mine tommorrow. When will this close/end

Rose paragraph edited.

It will close when I post the season opener.

And De8, I didn't check your number. Sorry.

aw I can't think of anything to write about

Sit's you're a bit harsh. I'd give hova a 5/5. He should really save those quality articles for his own Association if you ask me

I do agree with hova's assessment of Bucks. They really needed a better starting SG than Stevenson & Camby's loss can not be understated.

EDIT: Nice work on 20-11 & 10-1. Only just read them now. Been that busy in last week didn't get a chance before sorry

And to the guys who said I can't let down Mavs, I expect my numbers to drop from 18ppg early in my career to closer to 13-15ppg as team has more depth at my position & I'm there to win, not be an All-Star

Not going to write an article as I have my hands full with uni and accommodation applications, but will definitely enjoy the reads

Phenomenal article about my Bucks. L-Train wasn't covered enough, being the first option and obvious star of the team, but whatevs.

I love how almost every other NLSC player/rookie/prospect apart from perhaps me and The X and Hova are huge narcissists in the ALIB Trilogy

Ohhh, Valor, you know why I wrote this article, don't you? Gimme that 100 points and get Chris Hova into the All-Star game.

I love how almost every other NLSC player/rookie/prospect apart from perhaps me and The X and Hova are huge narcissists in the ALIB Trilogy

You forgot Martti. Not narcissistic. Crybaby.

Sit's you're a bit harsh. I'd give hova a 5/5. He should really save those quality articles for his own Association if you ask me

I do agree with hova's assessment of Bucks. They really needed a better starting SG than Stevenson & Camby's loss can not be understated.

EDIT: Nice work on 20-11 & 10-1. Only just read them now. Been that busy in last week didn't get a chance before sorry

Hova's article was great but was just missing that one extra thing. Dunno what it is but it's the X-factor. But you have seen how no one has got a passing grade from me except Hova and George.

And glad you enjoyed the 20-11 and 10-1. Was a bit confused about what you were talking about.

Phenomenal article about my Bucks. L-Train wasn't covered enough, being the first option and obvious star of the team, but whatevs.

You're lucky he even called you a potential All-Star bloomer. That's where he lost 0.5 marks.

Ohhh, Valor, you know why I wrote this article, don't you? Gimme that 100 points and get Chris Hova into the All-Star game.

You're the front runner for the points. But the skill upgrade requirements have changed to make it harder for you kids.

And Marrti Must belongs in his own category... along with Sasha.

August 15, 2013
Much Watch Games For 2013-14
By Willard Smith

The NBA’s official schedule for the upcoming season was released a few days ago and so now it is time to have a look at some much anticipated matchups. Some also double as nationally televised games, so make sure you set your DVRs or get your tickets because these games are going to be great!



October 28: Opening Night

The Milwaukee Bucks headline opening night by taking on the Cleveland Cavaliers in a rematch of the 2013 Eastern Conference Finals. The Cavs have added three key players in C Byron Brock, SG Terrell Hicks and PG Raymond Felton. The Bucks have not made any upgrades to their roster over the Summer. This opening matchup should be heated as the Bucks want to start their season a high after being eliminated the by the Cavs.

The other games see the Wolves and Lakers do battle in LA. The Knicks host the Bulls in the third game of the night; the Bulls will be reminded that the Knicks knocked them out of the postseason earlier in the year.

October 29: Must Opens Against Memphis

Martti Must and the Phoenix Suns will host the Memphis Grizzlies in their opening game of the 2013-14 season. Must has gotten off the wrong foot with his teammates in Phoenix but will have time to rectify all of that as they prepare for camp. The Grizzlies will get to see their former leader in new colors as they come to Arizona. Must’s former teammate OJ Mayo has vowed to lead the Grizzlies to the playoffs; something that Must never did. Don’t forget to write down January 30: That’s when Must and the Suns visit Memphis, which is sure to get hostile.

November 3: Playoff Preview?

Seattle hosts one of the defending champs in what is sure to be a drama-filled matchup. The Stealth were defeated in 7 games by the Kings in the last Western Conference Finals. Jason Kidd was hurt during the series and had to watch from the bench as the Kings beat the Stealth at home in Game 7. Both teams have essentially the same squads. It will be the first chance for fans to see what might be a preview of the Western Conference Finals should the two teams meet for the third straight year.

November 16: Crash is back!

Gerald Wallace returns to Charlotte to take on former teammates Devin Harris and Shaun Skinner. Crash’s hustle and toughness will be sorely missed as he takes plays for the Magic in a bid to play deep into the postseason. Wallace’s departure from Charlotte was sad because he was a foundation player for the club. However, it is understood that management allowed him to leave after so many years of service to the ball club. It will be interesting to see what kind of reception he gets from the fans in his return.

November 24: First Round Rematch

New Orleans were supposed to make the second round and challenge the Sacramento Kings for a spot in the Western Conference Finals last season. Enter the number 7 seeded Dallas Mavericks as first round opponents. Chris Paul is probably still spewing over his side’s first round exit. The Mavs have a few new faces but the style of play will be the same as they host the Hornets in their first duel since that Game 7 win in New Orleans. Dallas gets their turn to host the Hornets 4 days later for Thanksgiving (below).

November 28: Thanksgiving

Eleven games will be played for the national holiday. The most intriguing matchups: Seattle at New York and New Orleans at Dallas.

Everyone loves to play at Madison Square Garden and when the best team in the league rolls around, Knicks fans will be there in their fullest numbers. Another subplot to take into account is the fact that Stealth SG Reshawn Tyson will either be playing for New York or returning home and playing in front of friends. The Hornets were surprised in the first round of the last playoffs by the Mavs and get a shot at revenge in the regular season as they visit the Mavs.

November 29: The X Returns

Andrew Watson and the Mavs play a tough second game of a back-to-back in Houston where he will surely meet a hostile crowd. Watson had pledged his allegiances to the Rockets before being swayed by Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki and Mark Cuban to join Texan rivals Dallas. Dallas has the talent and depth to play deep into the playoffs while the Rockets have a young team that will surely need time to gel. Maybe with a bit of fire in his belly, Yao Ming scores 50 points on this night!



December 25: Christmas Day

The NBA has scheduled 5 games for Christmas Day. As you tuck away into your warm dinners and open all of your presents, be sure to keep an eye out for these games and storylines:

Memphis at Orlando: OJ Mayo leads the Grizzlies into battle against Dwight Howard and the Magic. Can Emeka Okafor size up to his fellow 2004 draftee?

Dallas at LA Clippers: These two Western Conference studs will play first at STAPLES and providing a precursor to Knicks-Lakers. This game might actually overshadow the next one as Lliach-Stoudemire take on the talented Mavs.

New York at LA Lakers: Former Laker Lamar Odom and the Knicks take on the Lakers on their home court. What better Christmas present is there for those fans who love a marquee matchup? Tickets are sure to be expensive for this one.

San Antonio at Minnesota: The young Wolves host the veteran Spurs in an evenly matched contest.

Miami at Chicago: Wade loves playing against the Bulls in Chicago. Let’s hope that it’s not a blowout and the Bulls give a performance that fans can cheer about.

December 27: Bosh’s Christmas Carol

Chris Bosh will get a bit of the Christmas Carol treatment (when Scrooge meets the Ghost of Christmas Yet To Come) as he and the Raptors visit the Heat in Miami. This will no doubt be a reminder of sorts to Bosh of the preseason trade that fell through and a look at what could have been for him. Bosh could have been played with Dwyane Wade and Michael Beasley had it not been for two failed physicals. He will get to play on the Heat home court and think about all the what if’s associated with that deal.



January 6: Most-anticipated Game of the Season

Lebron James was devastated that his Cavs lost Game 7 of the NBA Finals in the last minute. The Cavs have upgraded their roster and added imposing big man Byron Brock to the fold. This should be a good season for Cleveland and this Finals rematch is going to be the most eagerly anticipated game of the season. Reigning MVP Moses Chara is most probably going to have a lot to say about this game with a month leading up to it. Don’t forget that the Kings host the Cavs about 3 weeks later on January 30 where Lebron and the Cavs will have a shot at revenge on the court they lost the Finals on.

January 9: Spanish Fiesta!

The Lakers host the Pacers where LA fans will get to see the magic of Ricky Rubio. Rubio and Marc Gasol get to take on compatriots Pau Gasol and Jose Calderon in a reunion of sorts for the Spain national team members. Rudy Fernandez is probably feeling a little bit left out in New Jersey right now.

January 21: Moore Has A Point To Prove

Rookie Julian Martin gets to match up against the player he sort of replaced: Mark Moore. Moore has fired many barbs at the Bobcats and Michael Jordan ever since being traded to New Orleans. The Kiwi has criticized the franchise’s lack of ability to ‘build a winning roster’ and even called out Jordan for being ‘lazy’ and ‘incompetent’. Those are some harsh words from the player MJ had himself drafted. Moore will want to prove his point when he and the Hornets play in Charlotte.

February 15: 2014 All-Star Game

This season’s midseason showcase will be held in New Orleans. Will Chris Paul be able to win All-Star MVP in front of his adoring home crowd?

March 13: The Other NBA Final?

Seattle and Cleveland looked likely to compete against each other last season for the NBA title but things did not fall their way. Is this nationally televised game in Seattle going to be a preview of what might eventuate this season if everything goes right?

April 15: Last Day

Last season five team’s fates were decided on the last day of the regular season. Those triumphant were joyous (New York and Portland) while those that failed probably couldn’t sleep for months (Chicago, Memphis, LA Lakers). This year could be the same with 14 games to mark the end of the regular season.

Some gems may include:

Bucks at Pacers
Rockets at Spurs
Kings at Jazz
Suns at Clippers
Heat at Knicks
Sixers at Cavs
Grizzlies at Mavs
Raptors at Warriors
Nuggets at Wolves

Last edited by Fresh8 on Sun Dec 19, 2010 11:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.