AF1: 2014 NBA FINALS GAME 7 PREVIEW (Heat vs. Kings)

[Martti.]

phpBB [video]

Can't wait.

[Grandmama Johnson]

Can't wait.

Thanks, Martti. I'm just glad we don't have to play your association's version of the Heat

[Grandmama Johnson]

Instant Classic: Cavs Spoil LeBron’s Homecoming in 2-OT Thriller
December 3, 2010



In what will surely go down as an NBA instant classic, the Cleveland Cavaliers emerged victorious and spoiled LeBron James’ Ohio homecoming, defeating the Miami Heat in double overtime. The dramatic, 133-129 shootout kept the raucous Quicken Loans crowd on the edge of their seats, witnessing one of the most memorable games in franchise history on a night that didn’t want to end.

“This was one of the most amazing games I’ve ever been a part of,” said Cavs head coach Byron Scott. “It was an NBA Finals-type atmosphere and the intensity and drama of the game itself was truly special.”

The atmosphere inside the Q for LeBron’s return was part-playoff game, part-Wrestlemania. The crowd openly booed their former idol during pregame warmups and remained highly vocal throughout the night.

The Cavs responded to the fans’ energy with an inspired performance of their own. Cleveland hung with the heavily-favored Heat, trailing 30-27 after a high-scoring first quarter. By halftime, the underdogs had put their own stamp on the game and led, 56-54, going into the break.

The second half proved to be equally competitive as the game went down to the wire in regulation. With the final seconds ticking off the clock and the Cavs down by one, the Heat fouled Mo Williams as he hoisted a potential game-winning shot. Williams stepped up to the line with 1.8 seconds left, sinking the first free throw to tie the score at 104. The second attempt caught rim and denied the Cavs victory in regulation under heartbreaking conditions.

Williams would have another chance to win the game in the first overtime, but saw his hopeful shot miss the mark. On the other end, Mike Miller’s long-range three failed to find net as time expired, sending the game to a second OT.

The third chance to win the game finally proved the charm for Williams. With less than a minute left in the contest, Williams’ crisp, mid-range jumper extended the Cavs lead, while James’ three to keep the Heat in the game drew iron on the ensuing possession. Celebrations finally touched off in Quicken Loans Arena, where fans had been treated to a classic underdog story of redemption and revenge.

Williams led all Cavs scorers with 30 points and 10 assists. However, the true standout was arguably Antawn Jamison, who contributed 29 points and 18 rebounds over his All-Star matchup, Chris Bosh. Anthony Parker (20 pts), Wally Szczerbiak (18) and Anderson Varejao (14) all had solid contributions to the Cavs victory.

On the other end, LeBron James posted solid, if unspectacular numbers. The King recorded 31 points on 13-27 shooting, along with four assists and five rebounds. Bosh (28 pts) and Dwyane Wade (25) also had solid outputs, while returning fan-favorite Zydrunas Ilgauskas posted 13 points and 6 boards on his return to Cleveland.

Cleveland (11-7) now goes on the road to play Minnesota on Saturday. They will next play the Heat on December 15 in Miami.

[Kubik]

Wow I'm lovin that story with big battle against David and Goliath. Great win!!

[kibaxx7]

That would never happen in real life

[Grandmama Johnson]

A quick update:

Life has gotten very busy for me with school and work. However, I'm still committed to this story and want to see it through. I had two options:

1. Quit, because it would take several months to develop this story under this format. Under this format, the stories take a while to write and only move the story a couple weeks at a time. At this rate, the real Cavs may start rebuilding quicker than the one in my association.

2. Keep going and change format. This means changing the format so there are fewer updates, fewer articles, but a quicker progression of the association.

I've chosen the latter. I believe this is the necessary format for my association, since I have little time to write and a team that is still a few years away from competing. Plus, I would rather spend some of that time reading more of your stories than writing my own

I hope you enjoy the new format that will be rolling out. I'm thinking trimester reports, one for the NBA and one specifically for the Cavs. The reports give you the standings, key stats, and biggest storylines around the league. Also expect more in-depth playoff coverage and year-end reviews for both the Cavs and the NBA.

I appreciate all the support you guys have given me and hope you've enjoyed the Cavs journey so far. This is only the beginning and I hope you will follow.

[Grandmama Johnson]

[Grandmama Johnson]

Cleveland Cavaliers
2010/2011 First Trimester Report

Record: 12-16

Top Performers
Antawn Jamison (24.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG)
Mo Williams (20.1 PPG, 4.2 APG)
Ramon Sessions (14.1 PPG as "sixth man")

Storylines
*Hot 7-2 start to open season
*2OT victory over LeBron in former MVP's homecoming game
*Williams breaks arm 12/5 @ Detroit, misses over a month of action
*Cavs drop 9 of next 10 after "LeBron game"

[kibaxx7]

Pierce out for the season. That's gotta hurts the Celts' chances. Also nice to see Sessions being useful for you.

[Grandmama Johnson]

Pierce out for the season. That's gotta hurts the Celts' chances. Also nice to see Sessions being useful for you.

Thanks, man. Sessions is picking it up, but some of that production is just from having Williams out injured. We'll see what he does once we get Mo back

[Murat]

Trade Jamison for LeBron and Chalmers, it's working

[Grandmama Johnson]

2010/2011
Second Trimester Report

In this issue:
*Top Storylines
*Standings
*All-Stars
*MVP Race
*Rookie of the Year Race

Top Storylines:

*No Pierce, No Problem:
Celtics storm to the top of East, despite losing Paul Pierce for the season

*Thunder Struck: Durant propels OKC to league-best record, but can they take the next step in the postseason?

*Star Turn: Rookie sensation Evan Turner makes the All-Star team. Is the Sixers guard a star in the making?

*Durant vs. LeBron: The present and the future of the league are front-runners for the MVP and playing on championship contenders. Will it be a third MVP for King James or the beginning of the Durant era? More importantly, are these two on a collision course for the title?



Standings

East
Celtics 38-16
Bulls 36-18
Heat 37-19
Magic 35-23
Bucks 33-23
Hawks 31-25
Pacers 30-24
Knicks 28-27
-------------------
76ers 24-32
Nets 23-24
CAVS 20-36
Wizards 17-37
Raptors 17-39
Bobcats 16-40
Pistons 16-41

West
Thunder 39-15
Nuggets 39-18
Mavericks 38-18
Lkers 38-19
Rockets 35-22
Jazz 32-25
Spurs 30-26
Hornets 31-27
--------------------
Clippers 28-28
Warriors 26-29
Blazers 23-33
Suns 19-35
T-Wolves 20-36
Grizzlies 20-37
Kings 18-35


All-Stars

East

Starters
G: Dwyane Wade (Heat) 7th appearance
G: Joe Johnson (Hawks) 5th appearance
F: LeBron James (Heat) 7th appearance
F: Josh Smith (Hawks) 1st appearance
C: Dwight Howard (Magic) 5th appearance

Reserves
Derrick Rose (Bulls) 2nd appearance
Evan Turner (76ers) 1st appearance
Danny Granger (Pacers) 2nd appearance
Antawn Jamison (Cavs) 3rd appearance
Brook Lopez (Nets) 1st appearance
Rajon Rondo (Celtics) 2nd appearance
Gerald Wallace (Bobcats) 2nd appearance

West

Starters
G: Kobe Bryant (Lakers) 13th appearance
G: Chris Paul (Hornets) 4th appearance
F: Kevin Durant (Thunder) 2nd appearance
F: Carmelo Anthony (Nuggets) 4th appearance
C: Al Jefferson (Jazz) 1st appearance

Reserves
Deron Williams (Jazz) 2nd appearance
Monta Ellis (Warriors) 1st appearance
Rudy Gay (Grizzlies) 1st appearance
Tim Duncan (Spurs) 13th appearance
Emeka Okafor (Hornets) 1st appearance
Manu Ginobli (Spurs) 2nd appearance
Chauncey Billups (Nuggets) 6th appearance


MVP Race
LeBron James (SF—Miami Heat—age 26) 29.7 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 6.5 APG
Kevin Durant (SF—Oklahoma City Thunder—age 22) 34.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG
Kobe Bryant (SG—Los Angeles Lakers—age 32) 32.7 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 5.6 APG
Dwyane Wade (SG—Miami Heat—age 29) 25.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 4.5 APG
Chauncey Billups (PG—Denver Nuggets—age 34) 21.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 7.1 APG

Rookie of the Year
Evan Turner (SG—Philadelphia 76ers—age 22) 15.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 4.2 APG
Ed Davis (PF—Toronto Raptors—age 21) 13.5 PPG, 8.8 RPG
Wesley Johnson (SF—Minnesota T-wolves—age 23) 11.9 PPG, 7.9 RPG
Blake Griffin (PF—Los Angeles Clippers—age 21) 11.0 PPG, 9.9 RPG
John Wall (PG—Washington Wizards—age 20) 10.8 PPG, 4.5 APG

[Grandmama Johnson]

Cleveland Cavaliers
2010/2011 Second Trimester Report

Record: 20-36


Team Storylines
Upset in Boston: Cavs capture rare road win, 97-96, at Boston (1/25)
New Year’s Hangover: Cavs go 3-12 in January (1/31)
Unlikely All-Star: Antawn Jamison makes Eastern Conference team (2/17)
Standing Pat: Cavs Quiet as Trade Deadline Passes

Top Performers
Antawn Jamison 26.6 PPG, 8.0 RPG
Mo Williams 21.3 PPG, 4.2 APG
Ramon Sessions 13.7 PPG, 4.0 APG
Wally Szczerbiak 9.4 PPG, 3.1 RPG
J.J. Hickson 8.3 PPG, 2.9 RPG
Anderson Varejao 6.5 PPG, 9.2 RPG

[rise]

Good job on getting Jamison on the all-star team.

[Murat]

Wow, Jamison is an All-Star

[Grandmama Johnson]

Good job on getting Jamison on the all-star team.

Thanks, Z. He's had a great year so far. I expected Mo to carry the team, but Jamison has been the real star. He actually justified his exorbitant contract!

Wow, Jamison is an All-Star

Crazy, right? That's what happens when you have such a bad team that a guy like that can get great production. I call it "Kevin Love Syndrome".

[Grandmama Johnson]

Also, sometimes when I try to use the "quote" button, it goes to the "report" screen instead. I know nobody has actually been accidentally reported, since that requires you to actually press "submit", which I clearly would never do. I just wanted to make sure this isn't a forum-wide bug and that I didn't cause any trouble for any of you

[el stevo]

Awesome numbers for 'Tawn.

[Grandmama Johnson]

Awesome numbers for 'Tawn.

Much appreciated, Stevo. Do you support anybody in the Bundesliga?

[Grandmama Johnson]

2010/2011
2011 PLAYOFF PREVIEW

TOP STORYLINES

*Durant Wins MVP: The 22-year old phenom captures his first ever MVP, leading OKC to a league-best 59-23 record. KD repeats as scoring champion with 33.7 PPG and 10.3 RPG, but now he seeks to deliver an even bigger prize: the NBA title.



*Ray Makes History: Finishing the season with 2, 563 career trifectas, veteran guard Ray Allen now holds the NBA three-point record. The Boston guard will have to bring his long-range game to the playoffs if the Celtics hope to return to the NBA Finals.



*First Round Rivalries: NBA fans will be treated to first round matchups with historic hostilities. The Lakers and Spurs clash in the West, turning back the clock to their 00’s battles. Meanwhile, the Heat and Knicks renew their struggle in the East, reprising years of physical, even violent, encounters.



FIRST ROUND MATCHUPS

West

(1) Thunder vs. (8) Warriors
Golden State fans will fondly remember the last time they had a chance to dethrone the top seed , when Baron Davis and the Warriors shocked the Dallas Mavericks in the 2007 opening round. However, with Monta Ellis injured for the series and the Thunder boasting newly-crowned MVP Kevin Durant, don’t count on an upset.

(4) Mavericks vs. Nuggets (5)
Melo will collide with Nowitzki in this first round series. One team will make the final eight, while the other will enter the offseason with serious questions about potentially rebuilding.

(3) Lakers vs. Spurs (6)
A classic rivalry renewed. The Lakers had a less-than-impressive regular season, but will look to find another gear in the postseason for a potential three-peat. Meanwhile, the Spurs had to battle just to make the postseason.

(2) Rockets vs. Hornets (7)
Houston was one of the surprises of the Western Conference this season, securing the second spot ahead of the Lakers. Despite a great 82 games, All-NBA Chris Paul could end their season in four if they aren’t careful.


East

(1) Heat vs. Knicks (8)
Miami’s road to the finals goes through the Big Apple. LeBron will have to defeat the team he scorned in free agency, while years of heated playoff battles will be reprised between these two rivals.

(4) Bulls vs. Bucks (5)
If this is the year that Derrick Rose and the Bulls break through, they will first have to defeat a surprising Bucks squad. Milwaukee has defied the analysts this season to lock up the fifth spot, but they will need serious production from Bogut and Jennings to get past their Midwestern rivals.

(3) Celtics vs. Hawks (6)
A veteran Celtics squad will miss Paul Pierce to injury this postseason, but should have enough to get past the Hawks. The ATL is excited about Joe Johnson and Josh Smith’s dynamic play, but it will take a big effort to shut down Rondo.

(2) Magic vs. Pacers (7)
The second-seeded Magic are certainly eyeing a rematch with the Celtics in the quarterfinals. However, they must get past Danny Granger and the Pacers to get there. If they can, they’ll have the all-important home-court advantage over the Celtics-Hawks winner.


BEST RECORDS
Thunder: 59-23
Heat: 57-25
Magic: 55-27
Rockets: 54-28
Celtics: 54:38


WORST RECORDS
Bobcats 23-59
Pistons 23-59
Raptors 25-57
Kings 26-56
T-Wolves: 28-54


AWARDS
MVP: Kevin Durant (SF—Oklahoma City Thunder—age 22) 33.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG
Rookie of the Year: Evan Turner (SG—Philadelphia 76ers—age 22)15.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.0 APG
Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard (C—Orlando Magic—age 25) 19.3 PPG, 13. 3 RPG, 2.5 BPG
Coach of the Year: Scott Brooks (Oklahoma City Thunder) 59-23

All-NBA 1st Team
G: Kobe Bryant (SG--Los Angeles Lakers—age 32) 32.9 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 5.6 APG
G: Chris Paul (PG—New Orleans Hornets—age 25) 19.3 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 9.2 APG
F: Kevin Durant (SF—Oklahoma City Thunder—age 22) 33.7 PPG, 10.3 RPG
F: LeBron James (SF—Miami Heat—age 26)28.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 6.6 APG
C: Dwight Howard (C—Orlando Magic—age 25) 19.3 PPG, 13.3 RPG, 2.5 BPG

All-NBA 2nd Team
G: Dwayne Wade (SG—Miami Heat—age 29)
G: Monta Ellis (SG—Golden State Warriors—age 25)
F: Tim Duncan (PF—San Antonio Spurs—age 34)
F: Danny Granger (SF—Indiana Pacers—age 28)
C: Chris Kaman (C—Los Angeles Clippers—age 28)

All-NBA 3rd Team
G: Derrick Rose (PG—Chicago Bulls—age 22)
G: Deron Williams (PG—Utah Jazz—age 26)
F: Antawn Jamison (PF—Cleveland Cavaliers—age 34)
F: David Lee (PF—Golden State Warriors—age 27)
C: Al Jefferson (C—Utah Jazz—age 26)

All-Rookie Team
G: Evan Turner (SG--Philadelphia 76ers—age 22) 15.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.0 APG
G: John Wall (PG—Washington Wizards—age 20) 11.3 PPG, 4.6 APG
F: Wesley Johnson (SF—Minnesota T-Wolves—age 23) 12.7 PPG, 7.6 RPG
F: Blake Griffin (PF—Los Angeles Clippers—age 22) 11.4 PPG, 10.1 RPG
F: Ed Davis (PF—Toronto Raptors—age 21) 12.9 PPG, 8.0 RPG

SEASON LEADERS

PPG:
Kevin Durant (OKC) 33.7 PPG
Kobe Bryant (LAL) 32.9 PPG
LeBron James (MIA) 28.6 PPG
Derrick Rose (CHI) 28.3 PPG
Monta Ellis (GS) 28.0 PPG

RPG:
Dwight Howard (ORL) 13.3 RPG
Tim Duncan (SA) 11.6 RPG
Emeka Okafor (NO) 11.5 RPG
David Lee (GS) 11.3 RPG
Joakim Noah (DET) 11.1 RPG

APG:
Jason Kidd (DAL) 10.1 APG
Rajon Rondo (BOS) 9.9 APG
Chris Paul (NO) 9.2 APG
Deron Williams (UTA) 8.7 APG
Darren Collison (IND) 7.6 APG

[Grandmama Johnson]

Cleveland Cavaliers
2010/2011 Season Review

Cavs Finding Positives in 30-win Season
April 14, 2011


VETERAN PRESENCE: Antawn Jamison stepped into an enhanced leadership role for the Cavs and provided impressive production

(CLEVELAND)--In their first season after the “LeBron Era”, the Cleveland Cavaliers enjoyed modest success with an even more modest lineup. The Cavs finished the season with a 30-52 mark, sixth-worst in the league, but also far better than the worst-case scenario some fans feared.

“This season was a positive effort for our organization as we start the rebuilding process,” said Cavs General Manager Chris Grant. Grant was addressing the media after the team’s final game of the season, as Cleveland fell to the Wizard, 96-95. “We didn’t make the playoffs, but we’ll make some smart offseason moves and continue to build intelligently.”

Despite losing superstar LeBron James in the offseason, hopes were high after a strong start to the season. The Cavs opened their campaign at 7-2, surprising many with their fast start to their season.

The Cavs’ game of the year undoubtedly came in the opening months of the season, as Cleveland upset the Miami Heat, 133-129, in double overtime. LeBron’s return to Ohio was spoiled, as the Cavs improved to 11-7 in front of a sell-out crowd witnessing an instant classic.

Meanwhile, the team’s MVP must belong to veteran forward Antawn Jamison. It was a year when many fans wondered where the lost production of LeBron would be recouped. The answer, to a large extent, was Jamison. The 34-year old veteran recorded career highs in points (26.0 PPG), while also providing solid rebounding (8.2 RPG). Jamison was rewarded for his play with his third career All-Star selection and first ever All-NBA selection (third team).

There will be no playoff basketball at the Q this year, but things seem to be turning around in the Cavs organization. The strong, 7-2 start eventually evaporated as an arm injury to Mo Williams and the grind of a long season eventually wore down the Cavs.

“The Decision” will forever be one of the darkest days in franchise history, but the team has not panicked and put together a solid effort in the first year of rebuilding. This year’s unit lacked star power, but got the most out of their personnel to earn 30 wins. Certainly, it’s a solid, if modest, foundation for the team to build on moving forward.

“We’ll start focusing on the draft and getting our core personnel together,” head coach Byron Scott said, who is expected to return. “Our team has a lot to be excited about and so do our fans.”

Cavs 2010/2011 Summary

Record: 30-52

Top Performers:
Antawn Jamison (PF, age 34), 26.0 PPG, 8.2 RPG
Mo Williams (PG, age 28) 21.6 PPG, 3.8 APG
Ramon Sessiosn (PG, age 25) 13.4 PPG, 4.0 APG
Wally Szczerbiak (SF, age 34) 9.3 PPG, 3.1 RPG
J.J. Hickson (PF, age 22) 7.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG

[el stevo]

Much appreciated, Stevo. Do you support anybody in the Bundesliga?

FC St. Pauli is my favourite team.^^ cool, that you know about it.

To your season: Awesomeness Award for 'Tawn. Definitely impressive, too bad that he will decline from now on rating-wise. 3rd-Team is a good honour for 30-Win-Team.

Wishing you much luck in the Lottery. You'll need it.

[Grandmama Johnson]

Much appreciated, Stevo. Do you support anybody in the Bundesliga?

FC St. Pauli is my favourite team.^^ cool, that you know about it.

To your season: Awesomeness Award for 'Tawn. Definitely impressive, too bad that he will decline from now on rating-wise. 3rd-Team is a good honour for 30-Win-Team.

Wishing you much luck in the Lottery. You'll need it.

Haha, thanks for luck. I will definitely need it for the lottery, since there are some potential stars in the draft this year.

St. Pauli is a great team to support (congrats on promotion last season!). I have a lot of respect for their fans who have stuck with them since their days in Regionalliga.

[Fresh8]

Wow, Jamison was a star in Cleveland. I bet they wish he could give them that kind of production in real life!

[Grandmama Johnson]

Wow, Jamison was a star in Cleveland. I bet they wish he could give them that kind of production in real life!

Sure do. A good veteran can do wonders, but you already know that from Kidd on the Stealth